The Lot Across The Street
by Debwood-1999
Summary: Two employees at a Christmas tree lot can barely stand each each other, unaware that they're falling in love as anonymous correspondents through their emails. My version of The Shop Around The Corner and You've Got Mail.
1. Chapter 1

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This holiday story was inspired by the movies _The Shop Around The Corner _and _You've Got Mail. _Christian and Heath Slater are the main characters in this one. My OC is in this one as well, and she's married to Justin Bradshaw (Acolytes fame). Hope you enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMERS: Not mine (except for Anna).**

_**The Lot Across The Street**_

_**By Debwood-1999**_

_**Chapter One**_

_This is the story of Triple H Trees (the H's stand for Hunter Hearst Helmsley, the owner, as well as for __Ho-Ho-Ho,__ since it's a Christmas tree lot) and the people who work there. It's located in Heartland Valley, a nice-size town in North Carolina about an hour's drive west of Fayetteville, on Reilly Road...in the lot across the street from the IGA grocery store..._

It was a clear, bright December morning, and the sun was just rising as Mike Mizanin steered the borrowed truck into the parking space at the tree lot. Even at this early hour, traffic was rather heavy (it was the Monday after Black Friday, after all), but Miz didn't mind. He figured punctuality would be an asset, especially if he wanted to move up from the position he was at—a delivery driver and errand boy.

He climbed out and noticed a familiar curly-headed blonde figure leaning against the side of a Ford F-150 that looked too big for her to drive (it WAS her daily driver, believe it or not!), dressed warmly and listening to an iPod. Holiday music, most likely. Anna had a huge playlist on her iPod that she plugged into the sound system at the lot, providing customers with appropriately festive background music. Sensing the errand boy's presence, the blonde took out her headphones and gave her co-worker an easy smile.

"'Morning, Anna."

Anna Bradshaw waved. She was one of the cashiers on the lot, along with her BFF Trish Stratus. "Good morning, Miz."

"You're always the first one here, Anna."

"Hey, it doesn't hurt to be too early," Anna shrugged, as she put away her iPod and accompanied Miz to the locked entrance to the tree lot. Sure, she married into a wealthy family and didn't _need_ to work, but she worked because it kept her from getting bored. And if she could set a good example and have a good work record, then she'd have something to fall back on in case her husband's energy drink business fell through.

"What's the point?" Miz frowned. "Who sees you? Me. And who sees me? You. What does it get us? Can we give each other a raise? No."

Anna shrugged and glanced over at the truck, noticing the advertising on its side. "Well, what are _you_ doing, driving the company truck? Hunter would have your head."

"Why don't you tell him? It's all right with me. He said I could drive it, anyway." A pause. "You know where I was last night while you and your husband were gallivanting around, doing whatever it is you do?"

"Justin and I were out to dinner at Monty's Steak House for my early birthday. We were _not _gallivanting around."

"Whatever," Miz snorted. "I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off for Hunter and his wife." Miz's voice became effeminate, a near perfect impression of Mrs. Helmsley that left Anna chuckling. "_Miz, can you pick up three twenty pound bags of ice?_ And then, after I come back, it's_ Miz, will you please swing by Starbucks and pick up five bags of Christmas Blend Coffee? The Espresso version, because I like my coffee strong. And by the way, Rosa's Restaurant has an order of pies ready for me. Would you be a dear and pick them up for our party tonight?"_

"Y'know Miz, if this job fell through, you could always pick up work as an impressionist," chimed in a new voice. Miz and Anna turned to see Trish Stratus climb out of her car. She reached in and pulled out a box labeled _Rosa's Family Restaurant. _"Thought you guys might want some breakfast. Fresh baked muffins. They're today's flavor, mixed berry."

"Aahh, the way through a man's heart is through his stomach." Miz took the box of muffins and he and Trish air-kissed.

Anna frowned. "Don't Bogart the muffins, Mizanin. And Trish, good morning."

"Good morning, Sweetie." Trish gave her girlfriend an air kiss as well. "How was dinner last night?"

"Great. Monty's has the best steak in Heartland Valley. Did you get to talk to Lita last night?"

"I did. She's doing much better." Lita was a friend of Anna and Trish's, and she was having some complications with her pregnancy. "She has having something called round ligament pains, so Dr. Nora kept her in the hospital over the weekend as a precaution. On the bright side, she and Glen learned that they're having a baby boy."

"Guess I'll head to Walmart to pick up some blue baby stuff after work. Glen must be over the moon right now. I know he and Lita were trying so hard for so long."

"Who'da thunk that Lita and Glenn would actually get married?" Miz chimed in, taking a muffin and passing the box to the girls. "I mean, Matt and Lita were an item all through high school."

"Yeah, but Lita was a beard," Trish pointed out, taking a muffin.

Miz cocked an eyebrow. "A beard?"

"Matt dated Lita to make it look like he wasn't gay. Of course, I knew he was, I just didn't say anything because I didn't want to embarrass him, or Lita. I think Lita knew it too, but she wanted to stay friends with Matt and Jeff," Trish explained. "Then, after graduation, Matt came out, Lita ended their romance and met and married Glen Jacobs, Matt met Chris Irvine, and the rest, as they say, is history."

"Oh, speaking of Chris," Anna chimed in, fumbling in her coat pocket and pulling out a CD labeled _Fozzy Demos_ to hand to Trish. "I ripped the music off of this and put it on my new iPod. Can you give this to Jeff when he shows up."

"Fozzy? Anna, this is Chris's band. Why don't you give this to Chris if you see him again? You borrowed it from him, didn't you?"

"Because if I give it to you, you'll give it to Jeff, he'll give it to Matt, and he'll give it back to Chris."

"Whatever," Trish sighed, pocketing the CD. "And did I hear you say new iPod?"

"iPod touch. 64 gig. My birthday present from Justin." Anna couldn't stop the smile from tweaking across her face. "The way to my heart is with technology."

"Was that what you were listening to when I pulled into the lot?" Miz wondered, nibbling on his muffin.

"Sure was. I'll plug it into the speakers. All my holiday stuff is on it," Anna said, just as two more vehicles pulled into the lot. She recognized the black truck as Jeff's; no doubt his brother was riding into work with him. The other was a dark blue Suburban that looked right at home amid the trucks and older model vehicles. "It's the Brothers Hardy! Morning! We got muffins!"

"Good morning!" Jeff was the first one over. He was dressed in red and green and had a elf collar around his neck. His long blonde hair was streaked bright red and green to match the outfit. He looked like a psychedelic elf, and Hunter would have demanded that he change into something more conservative if he didn't bring in so many customers. "Matty! Trish brought muffins from Rosa's!"

"Let me lock the truck up."

"Matty, you're gonna be driving around all day. You don't need to lock the truck yet. Besides, I have the keys."

Matt facepalmed and wove his way over to the small group. "G'morning all." Matt was a man of few words, but he was always polite. "Rosa's, huh? What flavor?"

"Mixed berry." Trish passed out two more muffins. "Oh, before I forget...Jeff." She handed the younger Hardy brother the CD.

"Thank you." Jeff turned to his brother. "Matty, here's Chris's CD."

"I'll have to put this in the truck so I don't forget. I'll be back." Matt made his way quietly to the truck, and Anna shot Trish a look that said, _Told you so._

"That must have been pretty expensive," Miz remarked, gazing at Anna's birthday gift.

"It was," Anna nodded. "I wrestled with the idea of picking it up for myself. I was in Walmart on Friday, and told myself, _Anna, that's too expensive,_ but then I remembered who I was married to. Money's no object for him. Then I thought, _You don't need a 64 gig i-touch. What you've got is big enough-" _

"And then Justin up and bought it for you. Problem solved."

"Trying to be clever again, Mizzie?" snarked a new voice.

"Shut up, Jay!" Miz barked back, but with a twinkle in his eye and a lopsided grin.

"Good morning, everyone!" Jay Reso was one of Hunter's oldest employees; he'd started back when Triple H Trees was just an idea. He'd been a delivery driver and errand boy like Miz, but his blonde good looks and bulldog tenacity made him a natural as a salesman. His longevity had earned the respect of his co-workers; his easygoing demeanor and sense of humor had earned him quite a few friends.

The Hardy brothers dropped to their knees and bowed comically. "We're not worthy! We're not worthy! We're not worthy!"

"Get up, I'm not _that_ important." Trish offered Jay a muffin, which he politely declined (Trish would save it for him later). "Besides, you look ridiculous on your knees."

Matt was the first one up. Jeff followed suit. "Hi, Jay! How was your evening?"

"It was good." Jay pulled out his wallet and handed Miz a folded-up bill. "Hey Miz, can you go over to the IGA and get me a pack of Tums?"

Miz tilted his head to the side and pocketed the money. "What's the matter? Do you feel well?"

"It's all right. Nothing major." Jay reassured the errand boy, who headed out of the lot and jogged across the street, mindful of the traffic that passed by.

"Good morning, good morning. Good morning."

The lot employees groaned inwardly at the sound of Kurt Angle's voice. He, like Jay, was a tree salesman (and a pretty decent one), but he had the unintentional knack for rubbing people the wrong way. He was a pain in the ass like Miz, but the difference between them was that one was a pain in the ass that the other employees didn't mind having.

"Hi, Kurt," Anna said, politely.

"You guys wanna hear a joke?"

"No."

Kurt shook his head. "What's the matter, folks? Not awake yet? Look at me. I bet I haven't slept half as much as you. To tell you the truth...I had a great time last night."

"We don't want to hear the girl's name," Trish sighed, reluctantly passing Kurt a muffin.

Anna turned to Triple H Tree's top salesman. "Jay, how was the dinner last night?"

Kurt's eyes lit up. "Oh, yeah, that's right. Jay had dinner with the boss last night. How was it? Tell us all about it. Are you a partner now, Jay?"

"Don't be funny. And no, I'm not a partner."

"How was it?" Trish and the others crowded around Jay, curious.

"It was a very nice evening, and I had a great time."

"I bet the food was good," Anna smirked.

"You can imagine."

"Tell me, is it true Mrs. Helmsley had a boob job?" Trish chimed in.

"How could I know that, Trish?"

"What was she wearing last night?"

"A classy and tasteful low-cut blouse."

"Well, she had a boob job," Trish concluded, as Anna nodded in agreement.

"I think Mrs. Helmsley is a very charming woman," Kurt remarked.

"Who said she isn't?" Jeff scowled as he and his brother turned to glare at the cocky salesman.

"And don't try to make something out of it," Matt added. "My brother didn't say Mrs. Helmsley is not charming."

Kurt shrugged. "But I said she is charming. What's wrong with that?"

"So the food was good?" Anna asked Jay.

"Yeah. Helluva spread."

"Were you sitting next to Mrs. Helmsley?" Kurt asked.

"I was. What do you think of that?"

"I bet you were brilliant."

"No, I kept still and tried not to make an ass of myself," Jay answered, as Anna chuckled.

Miz rushed back to the gaggle of employees, handing Jay his change and a small familiar package. "Here's your Tums, Jay."

"Thanks, Miz."

"Tums?" Kurt wondered.

"I had a few too many Swedish meatballs," Jay explained, opening the pack of Tums and popping one into his mouth to chew up and swallow.

"What's the matter? Weren't they any good?"

Jay had had enough of the cocky salesman. "Okay, that's enough, Angle! Just a minute." He gestured for everyone to crowd around him. "Guys, come over. Did you hear. I want you to hear this. Did I make any derogatory remark about the Swedish meatballs?"

"No, not any!" everyone—except for Kurt—answered back. "Not one word!"

"Yeah. I merely said that I had a few too many Swedish meatballs."

"A few too many Swedish meatballs."

"That's right. _A few too many Swedish meatballs_. Not one word more, and not one less."

The squabbling was interrupted by the arrival of a tall, prominent-nosed blonde man. "Did I just miss something important?"

"Good morning, Mr. Helmsley." Kurt grinned a little too broadly.

"Yes, good morning."

"Good morning." greeted the Brothers Hardy.

"Good morning, Mr. Helmsley," Trish offered him a muffin. Hunter shook his head and saw something in the lot that looked a little odd. "Who put the inflatable Snoopy snow globe out here?"

Anna looked a little sheepish. "I did, Mr. Helmsley. Right before I left last night."

After gazing at the inflatable decoration, Hunter nodded. "I guess it's all right. It looks festive enough."

"Thank you, Mr. Helmsley."

"You're welcome. Hey, Miz."

"Yes, Mr. Helmsley?"

"Can you go over to the IGA and get me a pack of Tums?"

"Sure." Miz pocketed the bill and headed back across the street, watching as Hunter unlocked the main gate and ushered the other employees into the lot. "My work is never done," he sighed to himself.

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Another story that's gonna be finished before Christmas. I like the creative spurts because they're therapeutic in a way. My dad passed away on April 1, and it's gonna feel weird not having him here, but writing keeps me happy and focused, especially during this time. I promise the next chapter will pick up; this one was table-setting more than anything else.**

**BTW, I was going to put Evan Bourne in this one as the errand boy, but Miz and his personality work a little better, don't you agree?**

**REVIEWS = LOVE**


	2. Chapter 2

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Wow, this one is coming along quite nicely. I'm gonna spend as much time as I can this weekend banging this puppy out. To anyone who's alerted this story, favorited it, or is following it, THANKS!:) I'd love it even more if you left some feedback. It really does motivate me.**

_**Chapter Two**_

_Triple H Trees had been around for nearly a decade. Hunter had established a successful nursery and tree farm and saw a need for good quality Christmas trees. It had taken time and money, not to mention a great deal of emotional investment, but it paid off in the end. Hunter didn't have the cheapest Christmas trees in Heartland Valley, but he prided himself on having the best._

_Hunter leased his Christmas tree lot from the owners of the IGA across the street. Tree buyers could go across the street to the IGA to do their grocery shopping after purchasing their trees. Families who did their grocery shopping at the IGA could pop over to the tree lot to buy their trees and save time and money. And of course, the employees of the tree lot could head over to the IGA to pick up whatever they needed before heading home. So, the tree lot in such a prime piece of real estate was a win-win situation for the store owners, residents, and employees in that immediate area._

_Hunter filled his lot with high quality trees, and put an RV in the lot so that employees could stay the night and protect the trees from potential theft. During the holidays, he employed two cashiers, two salesmen, and three delivery drivers/errand persons, most of them from his tree farm/nursery (although he did hire a few temp workers). He had a portable office that was used to conduct business, and it served as a break room for his employees. It was a nice setup, and the employees worked their hardest to keep the business running smoothly._

_The day was off to a good start. Business was brisk, as families perused the lot looking for the perfect tree to bring home and decorate. Jeff entertained the customers, Trish and Anna provided service with a smile, and the delivery drivers were busy making their rounds, dropping off trees and running errands, while their boss watched their every move._

_Pretty soon, midmorning rolled, around, and Jay decided to take a breather. He was in the breakroom checking some very special emails on his iPhone, while his best lady friend, Anna, was enjoying a cup of coffee..._

"Anna. Want to hear something romantic?"

Anna glanced up from the cup of coffee she was sipping out of, making a mental note to pick up some more Holiday K-cups when she had a chance. She was becoming a fan of the French toast flavor. "Sure. What is it?"

"An email from a really nice guy. Listen to this. _What will InstantClassic say today, I wonder, as I turn on my laptop. I wait impatiently as it connects. I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: _You've got mail._ I hear nothing. Not even a sound on the streets, just the beating of my own heart. I have mail. From you._"

Anna nodded. A male correspondent, no doubt. It was common knowledge at the tree lot that Jay was gay, which made it safe for Anna and the other girls in the lot to be friends with him. "You're right. That's quite, uh..._romantic. _What this about?"

"Well...I wanted to go online and chat with someone new," Jay explained. "I decided to challenge myself. I wanted to chat and talk to someone and see how much I could get to know them without meeting them or seeing their face."

"I do that all the time, Jay. Twitter, Facebook, Trillian."

"I just got back into the chatroom thing. You come to a time in your life when you get tired of going to bars and parties and you just want to do something for yourself. Self improvement. You know, meet new people, discover new experiences."

Anna smirked. "I have a few contacts from Siberia. My favorite is from Mr. New York Pizza. He has a successful chain of pizza restaurants in Siberia. If Justin and I decided to go to Novosibirsk for vacation, he's gonna set us up with free food for the duration of our stay. What does that have to do the email you got?"

"You know I can't afford to travel around the world. So anyway, I was surfing the web to find people from other areas to talk to. I came across this site, friendlychat dot com. Here, I have the mobile version on my phone. Check this out. Here's who I found. _Hi! I'm a young man who wants to broaden his horizons. I want to chat with a gentleman who is experienced, intelligent, and has a great sense of humor and wit. My handle is onemanrockband2k12. _So, I struck up an online conversation. My handle's _InstantClassic. _We chatted, and we decided to email each other.

"Here's another one; _Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life. Well, not small, but compartmentalized. And sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book; when shouldn't it be the other way around?"_

"That's deep. How long has this been going on?"

"About a month."

"A month, huh?"

"And he's no ordinary guy. Now listen to this: _Are you tall? Short? Skinny? Fat? Are your eyes blue? Are they brown? You know what, don't tell me. As long as our minds meet, it's all good. _He and I set some guidelines. No specifics, including no names, career or class information, or family connections."

Anna took another sip of her coffee. "That's really cool."

"It is, huh? Now, wait a minute. Listen to this. _I like to start my notes to you as if we're already in the middle of a conversation. I pretend that we're the oldest and dearest friends, as opposed to what we actually are—people who don't know each other's names and met in a Chat Room where we both claimed we'd never been before. We have enough troubles in our daily lives. There are so many great things to discuss in this world of ours, it would be wasting valuable time if we told each other the boring details of what we do for a living, so let's not do that."_

The conversation was interrupted as Hunter appeared in the the breakroom. He was carrying a large bag made out of red cellophane. It was tied on top with a gold bow. "Jay, Anna."

"Yes, Hunter." Jay put his iPhone back in the pocket of his coat.

Anna smiled at the boss. "Hi, Mr. Helmsley."

"Jay, can I take you aside for a moment?"

Jay politely excused himself and joined his boss. "Whatcha need?"

Hunter showed his top salesman the brightly colored bag. "I have dozens of loose branches that I can't sell as trees, so here's what I've decided to do. I wanna put these into bags like this, along with some florist wire, ribbons and pine cones and a set of instructions. There's also gonna be a gift card from Pam's Arts and Crafts enclosed so that the customers can pick out the decorations for the wreath to customize it."

"Finding a use for all the loose branches, huh?"

"We make money, Pam's gets more business, it's a win-win idea, I think."

"Can't you just mulch the branches?" Jay shrugged. "It'd be a lot faster, and they'd still be put to good use."

"I'm trying to give customers other reasons to shop in this area. We're trying to encourage business not just for us, but for everyone else."

Jay was skeptical "A wreath kit, Hunter? No, Hunter, it's not for us."

"But you haven't even looked at the package."

"I'd still say no. I just don't like the idea."

Hunter nodded, his voice serious. "I'm impressed at how quickly you're able to make decisions, Jay. I've been in this business for nearly twenty years. It took me a half hour to decide that I like the wreath kit idea. But, of course, you're a genius. You know so much more than me."

He gestured towards Anna, who set her coffee cup down rather reluctantly, and Kurt, who had just stepped in to warm up. "Anna, Kurt... Look at this. I'm thinking of putting together some wreath kits to make some additional money. What do you think? I want your honest opinion. Don't let me influence you. All I want is your honest opinion." A pause. "Anna? What do you think?"

"I think people who want to do crafts during the holidays will like it," she nodded.

Kurt was rather enthusiastic. "I think it's practical! You have everything you need in one package. The branches, the florist wire, the ribbons, all that—all you have to do is put it together. I like it!"

"Thanks, Guys. That's all I needed. You guys can go back to breaks." Hunter turned to his top guys. "Jay, have you thought it over?"

Jay furrowed his brow. "Yes. I still think it's a bad idea."

"Well, give me a good reason."

"Let's say that a family is busy preparing for Christmas. Running around shopping, planning Christmas dinner, finding and trimming the tree, wrapping and sending off packages, putting up lights, the list goes on and on and on! The last thing someone who's up to their eyeballs in holiday preparations needs is something else that they have to put together. They won't have the time or the energy, and when Christmas is over, you're gonna throw that wreath out anyway, because it's all dried up and the needles are falling out.

"And the gift card's a lousy idea. You spend it on decorations for a wreath that's only gonna last a month at the longest and wind up in the trash. Not just the branches, but the decorations; customers are gonna spend...I don't know, ten dollars on garbage, when it could go to something more useful. It's a waste."

"You don't have to tell me that it'll dry out after Christmas, Jay. I know that. You sell things and let me do the buying."

The discussion was interrupted by a knock on the breakroom door. Jeff poked his head through the doorway. "Excuse me, Hunter."

"Yes, Jeff?"

"Pam's is calling about the wreath kits."

"Pam's, yes." Hunter rushed over to the cashier's booth up front to take the call. "Hi, is this Pam? Yes. Let me call you back in about ten minutes. I want a little more time to think about this idea. No, no, it's not the price. It's just that I'm not quite sure about the whole idea. Okay. Okay. I'll get right back in touch with you. I'll leave a message if I don't get a hold of you personally. Great. Thanks. I'll talk to you soon..."

After Pam hung up, Hunter smacked the side of the booth. "GRRRR! She can't expect me to make up my mind in ten minutes!" He fumbled through his coat pockets. Hopefully, he had enough Tums to last the rest of the day, or he'd have to ask Miz to swing by the IGA again.

~~~TLATS~~~

"Good morning, sir."

Jay's newest would-be customer turned to face him. The young man looked right at home among the tree shoppers that milled around. He was rather tall and youthful in appearance, mid to late 20's, perhaps. His hair was longish and strawberry blonde, cut in layers that framed his fair-skinned face and set off his nutmeg brown eyes. He was dressed in a green and black buffalo check CPO jacket that snapped up the front and a black muffler that was wrapped twice around his neck. Knitted black gloves kept his hands warm.

"Hi," the young man drawled. "I really like this tree."

"Yes, I do too. Just got it in yesterday afternoon. It's a noble fir, about six feet tall. Really dense, and it holds its needles for quite a long time."

"I really didn't come here to buy a tree," shrugged the young man.

"Oh, that's fine. What else can I show you?"

A sigh escaped the young man's lips. "To tell you the truth, I really didn't come in to buy anything."

"That's okay. If you want to browse, that's fine. Take all the time you want."

"Yes, thank you. Actually, I wonder if I could speak to Mr. Helmsley."

"Unfortunately, Mr. Helmsley is quite busy at the moment. I can page him, or leave a message if you want."

"I'd appreciate it. Thank you."

"Maybe I can help you."

"Perhaps you can." A pause. "I noticed in your tree lot that you're having an introductory sale."

"Yes, everything in the tree lot is marked down 10 percent...if you take a look at the sign on the cashier's booth, we've got our prices listed. This Noble Fir, for instance, starts at $40 for 6 feet. But, we have new shipments every three days, and all of our trees are from in-state growers. No bugs, no parasites, no blight. All healthy, and fresh as can be. So our price cuts may not be as deep as everyone else's, but our quality is worth the extra money."

"That's a good strategy."

"And it's bringing in lots of customers."

"Yes, I imagine you'll be doing big business this season.

"I have no doubt. You were very smart to come here early. It'll be such a rush, we won't be able to help the customers."

"Maybe you should take on extra help."

"We probably will."

"Maybe you could use me," the young man smiled. "I'm looking for a job."

Jay folded his arms and gazed down rather sternly at his visitor. "That wasn't very nice, letting me go through the whole spiel."

"I'm really sorry. That was not intentional. Could you help me get a job here?"

"I'd like to, but we haven't got any openings."

"But you just told me you'd need some extra people because of the rush."

"Look around for yourself. You can see what kind of business we're doing—excuse me, please." Jay quickly made a graceful exit and approached a mother and daughter who were gazing at a very large fir. "Hi. Can I help you?

"How much is this tree? My daughter likes it."

"That's a eight-footer. It's worth $48.50."

"Do you deliver?"

"We do, up to ten miles outside of town. Free delivery if it's within town, outside of city limits is two dollars per mile."

"We live on the other end of town, on Crawford Lane. We'll get our tree here, but we wanna look around some more. Thank you." The young mother ushered her daughter, who was protesting slightly, towards some smaller trees. "Come on, Sweetie. Let's look over here. That one's too big for our living room."

"Well, can I you give my qualifications?" the young man pressed on, after mother and daughter had left. "If I could do anything for you, I'd do it. I've got quite a bit of experience."

"I know the situation, and we're pretty well staffed."

"I worked for FCW Trees for three years, and I spent as many seasons working in their Christmas tree lot."

"Even if you'd worked at Calaway Nurseries-"

"I did!" the young man said, rather proudly. "I took care of pretty important customers. Even worked with some corporate accounts."

"We don't deal with suits here. We specialize in family trees, nothing pretentious."

"What do you think they have? Corporate accounts weren't ALL their bread and butter. Calaway'd take me back in a second."

"Why don't you go back, then?"

"That's another story."

Jay tried to let the young man down as easily as he could. "If it was up to me, I'd put you to work. But I'm not the boss."

"Then why don't you let me see him?"

"He's...rather cranky today."

"I'll take a chance. Maybe I can cheer him up."

"Young man, I've worked for Mr. Helmsley for nine years, and I know him inside out," Jay said, rather sharply, unaware that Hunter was right behind him. "I know how he thinks. I could tell you word for word exactly what he'd say."

"Reso..."

Jay flinched at the tone in Hunter's voice. Mouthing, _Oh, Crap!_ he turned slowly to face his boss, who didn't look very cheerful.

"I'm sorry, young man," Hunter said to the young job hunter before gesturing for Jay to accompany him. "Jay and I are going to step aside for a moment. I'll be right with you."

When they were out of earshot, Hunter fixed Jay with a gaze that could peel paint. "So, you know every reaction of mine? You know me inside out? You know what I think, even before I thought of it. You're not only a genius, you're a mind reader."

"Hunter, I..."

"Oh, forget it!" Hunter huffed in exasperation before returning to the job hunter. "Hi, I'm Hunter Hearst Helmsley."

"Good morning, Mr. Helmsley."

"Call me Hunter," the lot owner _pshaw_-ed, before ushering the young man to the cashier's booth. The booth was big enough for Anna and Trish to work, and it had a small room in back where extra coffee, tea, and hot chocolate were kept. A pot with hot water sat on a small table, along with cups and stirring sticks. This was where Hunter and the young job hunter sat down.

"Here, please, take the load off. You're welcome to some hot tea or coffee, or hot chocolate. It's on the table right behind you. Help yourself."

"Thanks."

"I don't know what the difficulty is...but I can assure you that the word _impossible_ is not in the vocabulary of Triple H Trees."

"Glad to hear it."

"I mean it."

"Mr...er, Hunter."

"Yes?"

"I was at FCW Trees for three years, and I worked their Christmas tree lot for three seasons. After I graduated, I worked at Calaway Nurseries. I have a degree in Horticulture."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find much nicer things in my tree lot. What brings you here?"

"I'm looking for a job."

No, no, that's impossible. It's out of the question.

"But... "

"If I gave you the wrong impression, I'm very sorry. I'm very busy, and I'm pretty well staffed with the people I've got. I'm very sorry. I'm afraid you're just wasting your time."

"But I've got to have a job."

"Have you tried Frosty's?"

"Twice."

"Then I don't know what to tell you. Maybe after the season, I can put you to work at the tree farm."

"When will that be?"

"In a month or so." Hunter got up and stuck his head out the door. "Jay! Don't leave yet."

"Please," the young job seeker insisted. "Can I leave my phone number?"

"Sure. If we need anybody, you'll be the first person we call."

"Great! My name is Heath Slater, I'm staying over at the Howard House, and if you need me in a hurry, you can call my cell. It's always on. And if you need to call me at the Howard's, it's 555-3668. Leave a message for Heath."

"_Business message for Heath." _Hunter grabbed a pen and some sticky notes and wrote down the necessary information. "Yes, I got it. Thanks for stopping by."

As soon as Heath left, Jay opened the door. "Yes, Hunter?"

"Come in, and close the door, please." A pause, and Hunter's voice grew dismayed. "Jay, why did you put me on the spot like that in front of the whole tree lot?"

"I'm sorry, Hunter, but it wasn't my fault."

"So it was _my_ fault?"

"Perhaps you could have handled that situation more discreetly."

"So it _was_ my fault-"

"I didn't say that!"

Hunter sighed in exasperation. "What's the matter with you, Jay? You're my oldest employee. I do everything I can to show my appreciation. I ask you to my house."

"And I really appreciated that."

"You have a helluva way of showing it. Jay, you know how much I value your judgment, but today, you just wanna contradict me at every turn. Whenever I say _yes, _you say, _no."_

"Okay, fine. From now on, I'll say, _yes. _Yes, Hunter. Yes, Hunter. Certainly, Hunter. Yes, Hunter."

"That was a nice get together last night."

"Yes, it was."

"Yes, I had a lot of fun, didn't you?"

"I did."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself so much. That little poem that you wrote on our Facebook page. Did you make that up?"

"It's sort of half and half."

"Half and half?"

"Half Shakespeare, half me. I just changed the lines around. I made that last line rhyme with Triple H Trees, that's all."

"Stephanie liked it very much."

"Thank you."

"You made a fine impression on her. Stephanie thinks highly of you. And you know, I think highly of Stephanie."

The conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door by Kurt. "Hunter?"

"Yes?"

"I've found a customer for the wreath kit. How much do you want to charge him?"

"Well, let me see. There's a ten-dollar gift card, and we get a percentage, so..."

Jay glanced over and sighed in exasperation. Heath was right up front, checking out the wreath kit that Hunter had shown him earlier. _Persistent little reekazoid, aren't you? _he thought to himself.

"Let me take care of this, Hunter." Jay approached Heath and said in a firm, yet kind voice, "Sorry, there's no use waiting now. Believe me. If there's an opening, you'll be on the top of the list."

"Just a moment." Hunter threw Jay a look that said, _Be quiet! _and approached the young job seeker. "Tell me, would you buy a wreath kit?"

"Mr. Helmsley, I couldn't buy anything at the moment."

"No, I want your opinion. Your honest opinion. Now, don't let me influence you. I just want your opinion. Do you like this wreath kit?"

"Yes, I do. I like the concept."

"Yes. Why?"

"Why? I think it's practical, and it's a good project."

"Why would you consider it a good project?" Jay fixed Heath with a steely gaze as he—and Hunter—waited for an answer.

"Well, I see a gift card in there," Heath explained. "I can pick out what I want to decorate the wreath with. The instructions look pretty straightforward, and everything you need is in the package."

Hunter grinned and turned to his top salesman. "That's the point of view from a _consumer." _Jay nodded and stepped back, fuming.

"Mr. Helmsley," Heath ventured.

"Yes, Mr..."

"Slater. How much are you selling it for?

"Let me see. $20.00, which includes a gift card to Pam's Arts and Crafts?"

"That's a really good deal."

"Okay." Hunter was suddenly inspired. The kid was persistent, and he seemed to know what the customers liked. "Heath, are you available full-time?"

Heath's eyes lit up. "I am, yes!"

"I have a job offer for you. I'm gonna put you in charge of selling my wreath kits. When you're not selling kits, you'll be running errands. It'll give Mike and Matt a break. You have references?"

"Sure do."

"Email them to me. Here's my business card, email address is at the bottom. I'll need driver's license and SSN, if you have those available. Later, I'll introduce you to the rest of the crew..."

~~~TLATS~~~

_Later that morning, near the front of the lot..._

"Is that your next victim, Heath?" Trish smirked as she followed his gaze to a new potential customer. She was an older woman, grandmother age, looking sweet and pudgy in a gray coat and lavender sweater and gray pants underneath. Her hair was white and put up in a soft bun like a snow puff. She was browsing amid the smaller trees, probably looking for something that she could afford with her fixed income, and gravitated towards the table of wreath kits near the front.

"She's not a victim! She's a potential sale," Heath chuckled. So far, everyone at the lot—with the exception of Jay—had been quite friendly and cordial with Hunter's newest employee. He was letting the negative vibes from the senior salesman on staff roll off him. _Jay doesn't know me yet_, Heath decided. _I'll just be polite as can be. Maybe he's the type who doesn't warm up to new people in a hurry. I'll give him a day or two._

"Whoever she is," Anna chimed in, as Heath wove his way over. "Go get her!"

Heath's voice sounded almost the same way a candied pear might taste. "Good morning, ma'am. You're looking at the displays here, I take it?"

"Oh, yes." The woman looked up, her blue eyes sparkling in her wrinkled yet flawless face. "This is a wreath kit, right?"

"Yes, ma'am. It includes everything you need in it, even a gift card from Pam's Arts & Crafts across the street."

"I've never been to Pam's Arts & Crafts. Usually I go to Hobby Lobby or Michael's if I need craft things."

"Hobby Lobby's quite a drive, isn't it? Michael's, too. Closest one's over in Southern Pines."

"It certainly is. But they usually have what I need, and if they don't, they special order it."

"That's nice, the way they're willing to special order for you. Now, take a look at this price," Heath pointed out. "I know it may be steeper than you're used to. But, here's the nice thing about it. If you purchase a kit, and then go over to Pam's, you may find exactly what you're looking for to decorate this wreath with. No going out of town, no special ordering. And if you do need a special order, you won't have to drive so far to pick it up."

"It would be nice not to have to drive around so much."

"There you go. You're saving money. All that money you're saving could go someplace other than your gas tank, right?"

"Yeah, you've got a good point there."

"Then, if you like Pam's Arts & Crafts, you can tell your friends, and they can tell their friends, and BAM! You've got business and customers and money staying right here in Heartland Valley."

"You know what? I think it's worth the extra money. I'll take two. My granddaughters would love these."

Hunter and Jay watched Heath from a comfortable distance. "So, What do you say now, Jay?"

"They're still junk," Jay huffed, as his boss pulled his cell phone out to make a call to Pam's Arts & Crafts. "And Heath is a fourteen year-old girlish showoff. "But, don't let me influence you. I want your opinion, your honest opinion, that's all I want."

Hunter turned to gaze at his oldest employee in exasperation.

Jay shrugged. This day had started out nicely, but was going to end badly, he just knew it. At least he had his email pal to talk to...

~~~TLATS~~~

_To: onemanrockband2k12  
From: InstantClassic_

_I had a gut feeling you would be on line now. _

_Do you ever feel you become the worst version of yourself? That a Pandora's Box of all the secret hateful parts—your arrogance, your spite, your condescension—has sprung open. Someone provokes you, and instead of just smiling and moving on, you zing them. Hello, it's Mr. Nasty, LOL. I'm sure you have no idea what I'm talking about._

_To: InstantClassic  
From: onemanrockband2k12_

_I know what you mean and I'm completely jealous. What happens to me when I'm provoked is that I get tongue-tied. My mind goes blank. Then I spend all night tossing and turning trying to think of what I should have said for example, to a bottom dweller who recently belittled my existence._

_To: onemanrockband2k12  
From: InstantClassic_

_Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could pass all my zingers to you and then I would never behave badly and you could behave badly all the time and we'd both be happy? On the other hand, I must warn you that when you finally have the pleasure of saying the thing you mean to say at the moment you mean to say it, remorse inevitably follows. Do you think we should meet?_

_To: InstantClassic  
From: onemanrockband2k12_

_I love our relationship. There's a lot going on in the day-to-dayness of my life and there's something magical between us...maybe we should get together. I'd like to see if the author of these inspiring emails is like I've pictured..._

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: The plot thickens. It'll be kinda interesting to see what happens when Christian and Heath finally meet up and discover who they REALLY are. The emails are from the movie _You've Got Mail,_ and I thought they sounded appropriate for this story. **

**REVIEWS = LOVE**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

_The days passed. The wreath kits, while not runaway hits, sold steadily enough to justify creating more. Heath proved himself to be a hard-working, trustworthy asset to Triple H Trees. The employees all thought highly of him, and Hunter decided that hiring the young man had been a smart move._

_The one sore spot was Jay. Sure he still provided service with a smile and was still buddies with his co-workers at the tree lot, but something about Heath rubbed the senior tree salesman the wrong way. Jay rode Heath's back (figuratively, of course). He nagged. He criticized. He complained about Heath's hair (Too long! Cut it or tie it back!), his clothes—almost everything Heath said or did was subject to some kind of criticism. The newbie let the slings and arrows roll off him like he always did, but keeping the smile on his face was becoming more challenging with each passing day._

_At least his email friend provided a sympathetic ear and was happy to be a sounding board for Heath's grievances. Was it coincidence, or was his friend facing the same things as well? No matter. As long as his anonymous friend was there, Heath could deal with his work troubles._

_Jay was feeling the same heat as well. He didn't like the idea of some new kid invading his turf. He always tried to be diplomatic with the kid, but more often than not, he came off sounding like a complete jerk. To complicate things, his boss had become more standoffish and snippy with his senior salesman, and for no apparent reason. The tension between employer and employee could be felt by everyone, but they knew better than to ask what the trouble was. Their jobs were too important._

_Each night Jay vented to his anonymous friend, happy that he had someone (albeit in cyberspace) who was willing to listen and lend his ears as well. And when Jay mentioned getting together to meet in person, his friend jumped at the chance. Finally, after months of conversing back and forth in cyberspace, it was time to place faces and names to the emails..._

Jay smiled as he climbed out of his Suburban. Anna was near the locked entrance, waiting for Miz to appear and unlock the lot (he spent the night in the RV). "'Morning, Anna!"

Anna put away her iTouch and reached into her truck for the large bag of breakfast burritos from Rosa's. "Good morning, Jay," she smiled, handing him a burrito. "Boy, you are chipper this morning! The burritos have turkey sausage in them, by the way."

"Thanks." Jay unwrapped the burrito and took a decent sized bite. After chewing and swallowing, he said, "I've got a big date tonight."

"With the boss?"

"No, he never invites me anymore. How do you figure him out, anyway?"

"I gave up a while back. It's almost impossible to get along with him these days. I just stay out of his way."

"He hardly talks to me anymore. I hope he's a better mood today, because I'm going to ask him for a raise."

Anna nearly dropped the bag of burritos. "A raise?"

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

"No, go ahead."

"Suppose a guy like me wants to get married."

Anna's eyes lit up. "You're getting married!" she squeaked joyously. "Congratulations! That's the best thing that could ever happen to you. Who's the lucky victim?"

Jay put his hand up. "Okay, stop, backup, rewind. I didn't say I was getting married. I said, _Suppose a guy like me wants to get married. _How much does it cost you to live, you and Justin?"

"That's kind of a loaded question. Justin and his folks are very wealthy, but we try to live like we're not wealthy."

"Well, just for the sake of argument. How much does it cost?"

"It can be done."

"Yeah?"

"And very nicely, too. We aren't extravagant." And Anna was right about that. The only real luxuries she had were her truck and her iTouch. Anna bought her clothes at thrift stores and Walmart, and she and Justin didn't have satellite TV (they got their TV off the internet).

"Suppose a guy gets an apartment with four rooms. Dining room, bedroom, bathroom, living room."

"What do you need four rooms for? You don't need a dining room."

"Where do you eat?"

"In the kitchen. Justin and I have a nice, big kitchen. And we have a great room. For a small house, it's spacious enough that we can put a table and chairs in it if we have company."

"Where do you entertain?"

Anna snorted. "What are you, a diplomat? Who do you want to entertain? Justin and I don't throw parties. We try to be friendly and outgoing, so everyone will invite _us. _And my mom said that if someone is really your friend, they come _after_ dinner."

The conversation was interrupted as a familiar car (Heath's) rolled into the parking lot. Jay sighed. "Here comes trouble."

"Good morning, all." Heath sauntered up to Anna's truck and rested against the side.

"Good morning, Heath." Anna smiled and handed Heath a breakfast burrito. Jay nodded and took another bite of his, so he wouldn't have to talk.

"How's your husband, Anna?"

Anna gasped and all but shoved the bag of breakfast burritos into Heath's arms. "Oh, crap! I forgot to call Justin to remind him about his appointment with Dr. Sullivan! Can you hold these and pass them out to everyone?"

"Sure. Something wrong with your husband?"

"No, he just got over a sinus infection, and he's supposed to go to the doctor's office for a follow up. I'm gonna step aside for a minute." With those words, Anna whipped out her cell phone and ducked around the corner to make her call.

Once Anna was out of earshot, Jay finished his bite and said, "Heath?"

"Yeah, Jay?"

"I noticed that you wore a black t-shirt with purple angel wings and a skull yesterday."

"No, Jay. As usual, you're wrong. It was _purple,_ with _black _angel wings and a skull. Everybody else liked it. I don't remember remarking about _your_ shirt. And if you think I couldn't say anything about your shirt, just ask Kurt. My shirt is none of your business."

"I'm sorry. Hunter seems to think it is my business."

Heath snorted. "Yes, that's right. I'm working under you. From here on out then, I'll call you every morning and describe what I'm going to wear. Before I go shopping for new clothes, I'll take a picture of what I want and email it to you. Imagine you dictating what I should wear."

"I don't care what _you_ wear, Heath," Jay fired back. "For a circus pony, it's all right. I have my own troubles without your shirt between Hunter and me."

Still holding the bag, Heath folded his arms across his chest. "I sold as much yesterday as anybody else," he huffed, indignantly. "For an overcast Monday two weeks before Christmas, five wreath kits and three small Scotch Pines isn't bad. And that was between going to pick up K-Cups and hot chocolate at IGA for the breakroom, wreath kits from Pam's, and another pack of Tums for Hunter. Did you tell Hunter that?"

"Yes."

"And what did he say?"

"Not to come in wearing that shirt."

"Tell him I won't!"

"I will!" Snarling, Jay stomped away from the red-headed tree lot employee before he said something he knew he'd regret.

Thankfully, he found Anna, just as she was finishing her call. "I caught Justin, right as he was leaving the house," she said in relief. "He was on his way to the doctor's."

"Anna, level with me." Jay opened his coat slightly, still holding his burrito. He was wearing a flannel shirt in red, green and white plaid. "Does this shirt look alright for work?"

"It does. That plaid looks very festive." Anna paused. "Tell me, who is the lucky guy?"

"Well, you know that young man I was corresponding with?"

"Yes, about the cultural subjects," Anna said, putting _cultural subjects_ in air quotes.

"Yeah. Well, after a while, we got on the subject of love—naturally on a very cultural level. What else can you do in an email? He's the most awesome guy in the world."

"Is he cute?"

"He has such ideals and such a viewpoint on things that he's so far above the other guys I've met. They just can't compete."

"So he's unattractive?"

"Don't say that!"

"I'm sorry. The main thing is that you like him."

"Yeah, I hope I will."

"What do you mean? You love a guy and you don't know if you like him?"

"Well, that's just the question. I haven't met him yet."

Anna cocked an eyebrow. "What? You haven't met him yet?"

"No. I keep putting it off."

"You're scared."

"This guy thinks I'm the most wonderful person in the world. And after all, there is an off-chance that I'm gonna let him down."

"Yes, there is an off-chance. On the other hand, you might be let down, too."

"And I don't dare think about it." Jay glanced over at Heath, who was handing out the breakfast burritos. Anna, did you ever get a bonus at work?"

"Yes, once."

"Yeah, the boss hands you the envelope. You wonder how much is in it, and you don't want to open it. As long as the envelope's closed, you're a millionaire."

Anna nodded in understanding. "But if it turns out to be a year-long membership to the Jelly Of The Month Club, then you're disappointed. So you keep putting it off and putting it off, and you never open the envelope."

"Well, I can't keep the envelope closed much longer. I'm opening it tonight. I'm gonna meet him tonight at 8:30 at Monty's Steak House."

Anna noticed what else Jay was wearing. "A red scarf? I don't think I've seen you wear that before."

"Yeah. He's gonna have his Kindle with him to read while he waits for me, and it'll have a red protective cover over it so I'll know who he is. I'm wearing a red scarf so he'll know who I am." Jay sighed, nervously. "I haven't slept well for days."

"I'm sure he'll be attractive."

"Not too attractive. That'll intimidate me. What chance would a guy like me-"

"What, do you want an ugly guy?"

"No. Wish me luck. Get me some good luck charms, and maybe some good luck charms for those good luck charms. Just a decent looking, average guy. That's all I want."

~~~TLATS~~~

"Good morning, Hunter."

The owner of Triple H Trees was decidedly not in a good mood. He took a burrito without offering a thank you and glanced around the now unlocked lot. "This place looks terrible, all scraggly," was his greeting. "I'm surprised we still have customers! We'll stay tonight after closing hours and rearrange it. Clean it up a little. Beside, we have a new tree shipment tomorrow and we need to make some room."

"I'll have to get out of it some way," Heath wavered after Hunter was out of earshot. He, Anna and Trish were at the cashier's booth.

"Heath, you're the low man on the totem pole," Anna shrugged. "You haven't got a chance."

Heath shook his head. "I have an engagement tonight at 8:30. I have to go home first to change my clothes." He paused and turned to Anna's BFF. "Trish, did you notice the t-shirt I wore yesterday, the purple one with the wings?"

"I thought it was cool. I wanted one like it so I went to Walmart."

"I'm so glad. I'm planning to wear it tonight."

~~~TLATS~~~

"Hello?" Hunter said into his cellphone at his tiny temporary office. "Yeah, hello, Babe. Well, you were sleeping, and I didn't want to disturb you. You came home late last night. I thought perhaps you'd like to sleep a little longer. No, I'm not angry. How was the movie last night? Did you have a good time? That's all that matters, isn't it? What? But, Steph, I don't understand it. Only last Monday I gave you...No, I'm not complaining. It's quite a bit of money. Yeah, all right. I'll send it over as soon as possible. Yeah, good-bye."

A knock on the door interrupted Hunter's thoughts. "Come in. What is it?"

"It's Jay. Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Is it important?"

"It is to me," Jay answered back as he opened the door and stepped into the office space.

Hunter gazed up at his senior salesman, a put-off expression on his face. "Is it important to the tree lot?"

"Not exactly."

"Well, then, I'm sorry. I'm busy. You'll have to see me later," Hunter dismissed, turning his back to Jay.

"Pardon me, sir."

Hunter looked irritated as he spun his chair around to face Jay. "What now?"

"Sir, for several days your attitude toward me seems to have changed."

"It has?"

"Yeah, Hunter, it has. Really, I'm completely at a loss as to why. After all, I do my work."

"And you get paid for it, do you not?"

"Yes, sir. "

"Every week?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then everything seems to be all right then, isn't it?" Hunter turned his chair around, almost as if to tell Jay, _You're dismissed._

Jay sighed. It felt like he had just spoke to a brick wall. "Yes, Hunter."

~~~TLATS~~~

"Did you see him?" Matt asked as Jay stomped into the breakroom later. The Hardy brothers were warming up before heading back out to deliver more trees.

"I'm not going to stand for this much longer," snapped Jay. He fixed himself a cup of coffee (eggnog flavor—Anna and Trish were the ones who picked out the flavors, why did they have to pick the _frou-frou_ coffees?) and plunked himself down across from the older Hardy. "What does that man want of me, Matty? Why is he picking on me?"

"You've been around the longest," Jeff shrugged. "That's as good a reason as any."

"He picks on me and Jeff, too," Matt chimed in. "The other day he called me a klutz after I dropped a box of tree stands. What could I do? I said, _Yes, Hunter, I'm a klutz._ I'm not foolish enough to talk back. If it means keeping my job, I'll keep my mouth shut."

"Listen, maybe he has business worries," Jeff suggested, swigging out of his bottle of Mountain Dew. "Or maybe he has some trouble at home. Trouble with his wife."

At the mention of _Trouble with his wife,_ Kurt, who had stepped in for a breather, leaned over the table. "Is that true, Jeff?" he asked, a little too anxiously. "Is he having trouble with his wife?"

"I don't know, it's none of my business. If I know what's good for me, I stay out of it," Jeff answered him. "And anyway, we're talking to Jay. What do you want?"

"We don't know anything," Matt chimed in. "So leave us be, okay?" Kurt shrugged as if to say, _Whatever,_ and walked out.

Once the pesky salesman was gone, Matt sighed. "Jay, don't be impulsive, not at a time like this. Not when so many people are out of work."

"I can get a job anywhere."

"Can you?" Matt snorted. "In this economy? Get real."

"I'll take a chance, Matty. I'm no coward, you know. I'm not afraid."

"I am. I have a family," Matt explained, as Jeff nodded in agreement. Matt and Chris were in the process of adopting a baby, and the last thing they needed was to be unemployed.

"Well, I don't."

"Think it over," Jeff said. "Those were nice emails, weren't they?"

~~~TLATS~~~

"I moved all the short trees to the north corner of the lot. Is that how you wanted it? I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me if there's anything wrong."

Jay glanced over at the over-eager newbie. It was now early afternoon, and Heath had been working his butt off. Normally, Heath tried to keep his distance, speaking to Jay only when necessary, so this was slightly out of character. "Since when have you become interested in my opinions?"

"I want to make sure I'm doing a good job, Jay," Heath shrugged. "I'm working under you."

"You don't have to keep harping on that," Jay fired back.

"No, I didn't mean it that way at all. Regardless of what I think of you...I believe that anybody who works with you and doesn't get a great deal out of it, is just plain dumb"

Jay looked at Heath like he'd just sprouted horns. "What are you talking about?"

"What do you think of me personally? I mean, since you ask..no matter what anybody else says, I think you're a gentleman."

Jay couldn't help but appreciate the backhanded compliment. "I try to be."

"You have no idea what that means to a working stiff like me. What a guy like me goes through in some places. Take for instance when I worked at FCW right after graduation. The boss was okay, but Jay, the co-workers...That's why I like it here so much. When you say, _let's go move the short trees to the north corner of the lot,_ you really want to move the short trees to the north corner of the lot. And that's my idea of gentleman."

"I just don't believe in mixing trees with pleasure." Jay chuckled.

"Jay?"

"Yeah?"

"About that purple shirt..."

"I'm sorry, I should have been more discreet."

"I want to thank you. I'm glad you did it. After thinking it all over, you're right. That shirt was hideous."

"Oh, no, it wasn't ugly-"

"It was. I wouldn't admit it at the time, but I'm the type who hates to admit I'm wrong. That's something I'm really trying to change."

Jay folded his arms across his chest. "This is the first time you've shown a little sense. I'm impressed, Heath."

"Thanks, Jay."

"If you keep this up, maybe we'll actually start getting along."

"Thanks, Jay."

"Sure."

"I was planning to wear that awful shirt tonight. I have a date with..."

"_Tonight?" _exclaimed Jay. "Didn't you hear what Hunter said? We have to stay and re-arrange the trees, make room for a new shipment."

"I almost forgot."

"Yes. Apparently you did. Is your attention span _that _short?"

"Would it be possible, do you think you could spell me tonight? And then maybe Mr. Helmsley would let me off."

A tense silence passed as Jay folded his arms angrily across his chest and Heath stared sheepishly at his boots. "So that's why I'm a gentleman. That's why you've learned from me now?"

"What?"

"You want the night off?"

"I _have_ to have the night off, Jay."

"I'm afraid you're out of luck. That trick was _sooo_ good, I almost fell for it."

"I've gotta have the night off. It's very important."

"And you thought kissing my ass like that would work? Nice try, Heath. For the last two weeks, you've done nothing but antagonize me and..."

"_Antagonize you?"_ Heath fired back. _"You're_ one to talk, Jay! You haven't been very nice to me either. Whatever I do, it's wrong. If I wrap a tree with netting and slide it into the truck for delivery, it's not right. If I make a suggestion, and some of them are very good..."

"Here. You don't listen."

"Everything has to be done exactly your way, and then even when I do it right, you still don't like it. When I first got the job at this tree lot, I was a big ball of energy...and now I dread coming in to work each day. You've sucked all the personality out of me! You're a dictator, Jay! That's what I think you are. Jay, someday I may be in a position where I won't have to work anymore. Then I'll really tell you what I think."

Before Jay could fire off a snappy comeback, Heath stalked over to the front of the lot, but not without a parting shot. He turned and glared at the senior salesman. "And as for that shirt...I'm going to wear it tonight. Jay, I like my shirt. It's_ you _I don't like."

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Fireworks much? I wonder what crawled up Hunter's backside and died. He's all irritable, and his employees are feeling it. Doesn't make for a very pleasant work environment, does it? BTW, the Jelly Of The Month Club reference is from _National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. _**

**REVIEWS = LOVE**


	4. Chapter 4

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Tensions are quite high right now at the tree lot, so fasten your seat belts. We're in for a bumpy ride. BTW, the place names (Rosa's, Monty's, Howard House, etc.) were inspired by the Lemax Christmas collectible buildings. I saw a Christmas village displayed at my local ACE Hardware and was inspired to write a story based in a small town similar to the one I saw. It even had a tiny Walmart in it:). **

_**Chapter Four**_

After being shot down by the senior salesman, Heath decided to go straight to the top. Thankfully, the lot was currently quiet. "Mr. Helmsley, may I speak to you for a moment?"

"What is it?"

"Do you think you could spare me tonight?"

"Let me see, we need three people to move the Noble Firs..." Hunter caught a glimpse of Jay as he was heading towards a stand of Scotch Pines. "Jay?"

"Yes, Hunter."

"Can you get along without Heath tonight?"

Jay threw Heath's retreating form a glance loaded with darts. "Hunter, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Hunter looked annoyed. "You want to go, too?"

"Yes, I'd appreciate it very much..."

"What is this?!" Hunter snapped. "Does everybody want to leave? Is this the interest you show?"

"I'm sorry, if I'd only known yesterday-"

Hunter didn't, or wouldn't, hear Jay's apology. "You want a special invitation!" he barked, loud enough to be heard up front. "Next time, I'll send you an engraved announcement, and I'll make sure you guys have a chance to RSVP!"

Trish, who was returning from the break room, chimed in. "I already talked to Jay. Miz and I can manage the Nobles by ourselves."

"Did I ask you for your advice?" Hunter snarled, fixing Trish with an icy stare. "What do you mean you talked this over? Who's tree lot is this?"

"It's yours, Hunter. Forget I said anything." Trish sighed before slinking off to converse with Anna about someone pissing in their boss's Wheaties.

"So you want the evening off, Jay?" Hunter huffed. "That's all right. I think we can manage."

"This is the first time in years I have asked a favor."

"_I gave you the evening off!"_ Hunter barked. "What more do you want? A mobile DJ?"

"_You're being unfair!"_

"_I'm being unfair?!" _Jay had suddenly gotten on Hunter's last nerve. "_Once a season, I ask eight people—eight mind you—when a tree lot on the other end of town that's twice as big as mine employs _just four _to do their work!"_

The tirade was cut short as a car pulled into a parking space and a customer entered the lot. "Good afternoon, ma'am," Hunter smiled, after putting on his game face. "Is there something I can show you?"

The customer was a well-heeled woman in an expensive looking coat. "Do you have any short trees to put on a table?"

"We have all types, the short ones are in the north corner."

"Thank you. I'm doing some browsing for my husband. He'll be here tomorrow, and we have a rather small space in our apartment. He's better with figuring out height and width and things like that."

"I'll look forward to helping you both, ma'am."

"You have some great trees. We'll be coming back tomorrow. Thank you. Have a great day, and Merry Christmas."

"Thanks, same to you, ma'am." After the future customer left, Hunter continued his rant. "I have eight people who stand around here for days telling jokes, and talking about the movies," he grumbled, stomping over to the cashier's booth. "While I pay the gas and the rent...and the light, and the taxes, and their salaries." He was interrupted again, this time by a phone ringing in the booth. Hunter reached over to answer it. "Good afternoon, Triple H Trees. What? Just a moment. Anna, it's your husband. And can you ask him to call your cell next time, please? I don't want this phone being used for personal calls."

Anna shrugged and took the call. "Yes? Hi, Babe! I called you. We are rearranging trees after closing hours...so we won't have to have dinner with the Haas's. Isn't that wonderful? Yes, I knew you'd be glad. You need to rest up a couple more days. Oh, sure. I'll pick up your prescription. Okay, I'll get you some soup, too. Love you. Good-bye, Justin."

"Eight people I ask," Hunter continued, stalking away from the booth. "One day a season, to be so kind...as to move some trees." He caught Jay's eye. "And you have the nerve, Reso, the oldest employee in the place, who should set an example-"

Jay fixed his boss with a look that could freeze a volcano. _"You spoke like this to me yesterday, Hunter!" _he unleashed._ "_What did I do then? The whole week you've treated me like this, and without any reason."

"Without any reason?" Hunter answered, cryptically. "Maybe I have more reason than you think."

Jay's voice softened. "It's obvious that you're not satisfied with me."

"You can draw your own conclusions."

For a crackling second, Jay wanted to lay out the owner of Triple H Trees with a hard roundhouse right. He'd had enough of Hunter's attitude, and he had a screaming desire to deck the big nosed bastard. But instead, he throttled his anger; the last thing he wanted was to do something that could affect his career. "In that case," Jay said softly, "I think there's just one thing to do. Perhaps we'd better call it a day."

~~~TLATS~~~

_Later that afternoon..._

"Good afternoon. Triple H Trees," Trish answered the phone, pleasantly. "Yes, Stephanie, he's here. Mrs. Helmsley on the telephone," she said, handing the receiver over to Hunter, who was setting out new wreath kits.

"Hi, Stephanie. No, I'm not coming home tonight, I'm staying over at the lot. All right. All right, I'll send it right over." After ending the call, Hunter took out a few large denomination bills. "Trish, put this in an envelope and have Mike take it to my wife"

"Mike is out.," Trish said, putting the money into a plain envelope and handing it back. "He has quite a few deliveries, and he won't be back until after lunch."

"Jay and I were gonna have lunch at Rosa's," Matt said (he was just getting out of his truck and hadn't heard the commotion earlier). "It's only a few blocks from your house. We can deliver it." he glanced over at the senior salesman, who was trying to keep a low profile by putting out tree stands. "Right, Jay?"

"Sure."

"No, thank you, Jay." Hunter walked off, leaving Matt bewildered and Jay feeling genuinely hurt.

There was another person that Hunter could ask, even though he didn't like the guy very much. "Kurt?"

Kurt glanced up from his cup of gingerbread coffee. "Yes, Hunter."

"I don't like to break in on your lunch hour, but can you deliver this envelope.-"

"It's perfectly all right," Kurt took the envelope and smiled. "It'll be a pleasure."

"Thank you, Kurt."

~~~TLATS~~~

Anna launched herself into a full body stretch, groaning as her joints popped. "I have pine needles and tree sap in places that shouldn't have pine needles and tree sap."

"Anna, you are stronger than you look." Jay shook his head in amazement.

Anna and Jay had just finished moving a big Noble Fir (they figured that the more work they could do now, the less time they'd have to stay over later) when Hunter approached them. "Jay...will you come to my office?" the boss asked him, politely. "I'd like to talk to you."

"Yes, sir."

In Hunter's tiny office, Jay sat nervously in one of the chairs placed across from the desk. "Jay..." Hunter began, "I've been thinking all day about what you said earlier today."

"I'm sorry, Hunter. I'm afraid I lost my temper."

"No, I think you were right. I really believe that you'd be happier somewhere else."

"Do you think so, sir?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it. "

Jay felt like he'd been hit with a board. This conversation was just a nice way of saying, _Jay, you're fired!_ Jay knew this was not warranted, but he was in so much shock at the moment, nothing completely registered. "I guess there's nothing more to be said," was all he was able to manage.

"No. Let me see. You're naturally entitled to a month's pay, with commission. Of course, I'll make sure you have severance pay as well. It'll be quite a generous package, given that you've worked with me from the beginning."

"Yes, sir," Jay nodded as Hunter set some papers out in front of him.

"Will you, please, sign this receipt. And here's a letter...which certainly won't handicap you in seeking employment. A good letter of recommendation. I've emailed it to you as well."

"Thank you, sir."

"I guess we might as well say good-bye."

"I guess so." Jay climbed slowly out of his chair, removing his name tag and lot keys and setting them down on Hunter's desk. "Good-bye, Hunter."

"Good-bye."

~~~TLATS~~~

Jay wandered out of Hunter's office in a daze and was greeted by the rest of the tree lot employees. Jeff was the first to speak. "Well? What happened?"

"I've been let go," he answered simply, before he read the letter that had been handed to him:

"_SUBJECT: Recommendations. I wish to state that Mr. Jason Reso leaves my company voluntarily. Jay started with Triple H Trees nine years ago as an apprentice and delivery driver. With diligence, he advanced to the position of clerk. For the last five seasons, he has been our top salesman. I, as well as his fellow co-workers, have found him reliable, efficient, resourceful, and an asset to our team. I can recommend him without hesitation. He carries with him my best wishes for his success in his future endeavors. Hunter Hearst Helmsley, owner, Triple H Trees." _

Jay hung his head. The reality that he had just been_ fired _was beginning to sink in._ "_I can't believe this. I've been future endeavored."

Trish gasped. "Jay, I still can't believe it. There's no reason."

"The boss doesn't have to give you a reason. That's one of the wonderful things about being boss. Well, I wanted to get the night off," he shrugged. "I got it off all right."

"Jay, are you going on your date still?" Anna wondered.

"No, I couldn't face him tonight. This morning I had a position, a future. I'm afraid I sort of exaggerated in my emails. I showed off a little, and he's expecting to meet a pretty important man. I'm in no mood to act important tonight."

"You don't have to act important. Just act like yourself."

Kurt approached the disgraced salesman and offered his hand. "Well, I...Jay, I think I speak for all of us, when I say this is a shock and a surprise. We all feel we are losing a great fellow worker... and we certainly wish you the...the best of luck."

Jay politely shook Angle's hand. "Thank you, Kurt. Anna..."

Anna hugged her best male friend. "Now, Jay, you're sill part of my extended family. If you wanna swing by the house or get together for a bite to eat, or even if you have an evening with nothing to do, you have my phone number and Justin's. And if you need a job for whatever reason, don't be afraid to let me or Justin know."

"You sure about that?"

"Justin says there's always room for one more, and in case things fall through for you, you're penciled in as one of Justin's employees."

"I may take him up on that offer."

"Take care, Jay."

The next to approach Jay were the Hardys. "Matt, I'm going to miss you."

"I don't understand."

"It's nothing unusual. It happens every day. Somebody gets fired and... Good-bye, Matt. And thanks for lunch."

"Good-bye, Jay. And you're welcome."

"Jeff. You'll notice when you look through my sales book...I cancelled slip number five, but I deducted it from the total."

"Good-bye. Call us, Matt and me. We'll get together, do some sledding or snowmobiling."

Jay nodded. The last person he approached was Heath. The kid looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"Heath, If I had anything to do with you not getting the evening off, I'm sorry."

Heath's voice wobbled, and he had to screw his courage to the sticking place before meeting Jay's gaze. "It's my fault that you got in so much trouble."

"Believe me, I'm sorry, too." Jay put a reassuring hand on Heath's shoulder. "But this wasn't your fault, Heath."

"I know we didn't get along."

"No, we didn't." Jay nodded in agreement.

"I guess we fought a lot, but losing a job at a time like this is something you don't wish on your worst enemy."

"Let's not argue anymore, huh?"

"Good-bye."

"Good-bye, Jay."

Quietly, Jay got into his Suburban, started it up and drove away. His friends in the lot waved until the vehicle disappeared from sight.

Meanwhile, Hunter was on the phone with someone very important. "Yes? Mr. Regal. Well? Oh, you have. How soon can you come over here? Yes, well, come right away. I'll...Right. I'll be waiting here..."

~~~TLATS~~~

"You can all go home. We'll finish moving the trees tomorrow," Hunter said, quietly dismissing his remaining employees for the day. It had been a slow day; but considering the drama that had gone down in the tree lot, it was a blessing in disguise. Everyone left, grateful to escape the drama, if only for a few hours.

Heath nearly knocked Anna over as he rushed out of the lot. "Excuse me. Good night. Good night."

"Wherever you're going, have fun!" Anna shook her head and laughed as she pulled out her cellphone and tapped out a familiar number. "Hi, Jay! It's Anna. Are you still going to Monty's? Okay. I'm gonna swing by my house and drop off Justin's prescription, then I'll head over. I figured you might want the company. See you in a bit."

Anna felt a large presence behind her and turned to see Hunter standing next to the cashier booth. "I hope you don't mind, Hunter. Jay's probably feels pretty low tonight, and I thought..."

"You don't have to explain. What you do after working hours is your own business."

"Thank you." Anna paused. She knew it wasn't her place to say anything, but she felt like she had to take up for Jay in some small way. "Uhmmm...you haven't changed your mind, by any chance, Hunter?"

"You've got the evening off, haven't you? Well, go home and enjoy the rest of your day."

Anna glared at her boss. "He is the best man you had. Why did you let him go?"

"Anna…"

"Jay's worked with you from Day One. He was almost extended family to you. And you were so proud of him. How many times have you invited him to your house?"

"Anna, you want to keep your job, don't you?"

Anna flinched. She knew a threat when she heard it, and nodded. "Yeah. Justin and I are planning a family. Two children."

"In that case, mind your own business and go home."

Anna turned and walked off, without a backwards glance. "Fine. Good night, Hunter."

"Good night."

Kurt, the schmoozy salesman, was the last one out. "Good night, Hunter."

"Good night, Kurt."

"I'm sorry, I can't quite remember if I delivered Stephanie's message. She told me to remind you to call her if you don't work tonight."

"Yes, you told me, Kurt. "

"Hunter, the last time I had the pleasure to be at your place...was several months ago when you sent me after your cell phone. Today I had a chance to get a glimpse of your new home theater set. It's fantastic, really. I can imagine what it'll look and sound like when you have it on for your guests. It must be beyond amazing."

"Thank you, Kurt, for the compliment."

~~~TLATS~~~

"Good evening, Mr. Helmsley."

William Regal, a private investigator Hunter had hired to follow his wife, appeared at the now locked entrance to the tree lot. There was a sign up that read _Closed early due to circumstances beyond our control. We will be open tomorrow at our regular time. Thanks, and Happy Holidays._

"Good evening, Mr. Regal." Hunter unlocked the gate and ushered the investigator into the little room in the cashier's booth. Warmly he shook hands with the PI and offered him a hot drink. Regal politely declined.

"So it's true?" Hunter asked him.

"I'm afraid so, Mr. Helmsley," Regal answered, his voice soft and deep, with a British accent. He pulled a manila envelope out of the pocket of his coat and opened it, showing Hunter pictures and records. "Here we have a complete record from our operatives... two of our most reliable investigators. _Report on Mrs. Stephanie Helmsley: On December 6t__h__, Mrs. Helmsley left her residence on 506 Mulberry Street, at 8:23 PM. "She walked two blocks up to Poplar Street where she boarded a taxi. At 9:03, the taxi stopped at the corner of Camden Court and Hawthorne Street. "There, Mrs. Helmsley was joined by a young man." _

Regal set the envelope down and regarded the tree lot owner with a sad expression. "Mr. Helmsley, your suspicion was right. It was one of your employees. Both our operatives identified him later as Mr. Angle."

Hunter went pale with shock. _"Kurt?"_

"Yes. Kurt Angle. The address we found was 816 Crawford Place, Heartland Valley. You have a gentleman who works in your lot by that name, correct?"

"Yes, yes." Hunter got up, a thousand mile stare in his eyes. His voice was soft and broken. "Thirteen years we've been married. Thirteen years I was proud of my wife. Well, she...she just didn't want to grow old with me, I guess. If you'll send me your bill, I'll take care of it immediately."

Regal got up from his seat. "Thank you, Mr. Helmsley. Good night."

"Good night." Hunter nodded in a daze, as the investigator saw his way out.

~~~TLATS~~~

"Dammit! Where'd I leave it?" Miz scrambled out of his vehicle right after he put it in park in the now empty tree lot. He had misplaced his cell phone, and that was something that he couldn't afford to lose.

A cursory check in the empty cashier's booth turned up nothing. The next place he'd check would be the office (he had his own key), but before he could do that, the phone rang, startling him. No doubt it would be someone with a delivery request. "Sorry, I'm off duty," he sighed, as he answered:

"Good evening. Hello? No, Mrs. Helmsley (Miz had put on his Trish impression—not a dead-on one, but good enough to fool someone on the phone). This is Trish Stratus speaking. Good evening. Who? Mike? No, Mike isn't back yet. I see, Mrs. Helmsley. He did some errands for you. Oh, you don't say! He forgot to pick up a bottle of perfume at Beall's? Isn't that too bad! Yes, I'll holler at him when he comes back. Have a good time, Mrs. Helmsley. Good night."

After hanging up, Miz decided that he should check the RV before the office. The lights were on, so Hunter was here. Hopefully, he'd be in a slightly better mood.

He headed over and knocked gently on the door. "Mr. Helmsley?" He paused. A gut instinct told him he should open the door. "Hunter?"

Gently, Miz tried the door handle. It turned easily, and Miz let himself in. What he saw sent a surge of adrenaline through his body.

"Hunter! Don't do it!"

"Go away! Go away!"

Miz lunged _"No, Hunter! Let go of the—"_

BANG! A gunshot rang through the RV, and the bullet lodged itself into the door.

For a moment Miz and his boss sat in stunned silence. Hunter glanced down and saw the gun in his hand (he kept one at the lot for an emergency). He was unable to speak and could not move.

"Mike. Why'd you stop me?" he whispered in anguish.

Miz gently took the gun out of Hunter's hand and set it on the counter behind him. "Because you don't know what you're doing. Why the hell are you holding a gun to your head?"

Hunter's voice was wobbly. "My wife's been cheating on me with one of my employees."

It didn't take Miz long to connect the dots. "Jay? Is that why you fired him?"

"I fired the wrong guy, Mike."

Miz snorted as he sat down across from his heartbroken boss. "But Jay...he's gay, Hunter! What were you thinking?"

Hunter buried his head in his hands. "I wasn't, Mike. I just let my anger and my jealousy cloud my thinking. It was Kurt. But don't let any of this out to anyone."

"Why am I not surprised that it's Kurt?" Mike smirked. He saw his cell phone on the mattress in the sleeping compartment of the camper. He picked it up. "Yes! It's still well charged. Hunter, I'll call 911-"

"No!" Hunter barked. "Don't call 911! The police will get involved, and then the publicity...that's the last thing I need. That's the last thing the rest of my crew needs."

"Okay. I'll lock up and drive you to the hospital..."

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Anyone who wants to give Hunter a big hug right now, raise your hand...I started out disliking Hunter in this chapter, but now I just feel so awful for him. I know that he and Steph are married happily in real life, so to anyone who ships them in their fiction, don't toss sporks at me! This was just to move the story along. **

**But boy, Hunter has got some 'splainin to do, doesn't he?**

**REVIEWS = LOVE**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five**_

_After arguing with himself, Jay decided keep his date with _onemanrockband2k12 _and head to Monty's. _

_It was true that Jay had exaggerated some details in the emails he'd sent to his anonymous friend. But before he'd been unceremoniously released by Hunter, he _did _have a good position in a company and a future. Perhaps he'd still have one, albeit somewhere else, so it really _wasn't_ an exaggeration. Still, he felt like he had to set the record straight, so he went to the steakhouse. Anna, kindhearted soul that she was, stayed with him to provide moral support until it was time to go in..._

"Why don't you go in now, Jay?" Anna asked, glancing up from the game she was playing on her cell phone. She and Jay were outside of Monty's sitting on a bench near a window, and Jay had just asked her to glance inside to look for his date.

Jay huffed. "Anna, I don't wanna know what he looks like yet. If he's not attractive, I've had enough bad news for today. If he's cute, it'll be more difficult, so don't tell me."

"Okay, I won't. Now, he's reading a Kindle, right? And it has a protective cover. What color is it again?"

"Red, just like my scarf."

"Red, like your scarf." Anna got up and peered through the window. "Now, let me see...Just a minute."

"Do you see anything?"

"Not yet. But there's a cute young man sitting by himself!"

"Really?"

"Very cute, but no Kindle."

"No Kindle." Jay joined his friend at the window. "Wait a minute. I think I see it."

"Yeah?"

"Right here under the window. Yes. It's a Kindle. I know what they look like."

"That's right. And a red cover.

"I can't see his face, though. He's sitting behind a clothes rack. There's a glass of iced tea on the table."

"Yeah?"

"He's taking a breadstick from a basket on the table. Reso, he is eating a breadstick."

"Why shouldn't he eat a breadstick?"

"All right. He is leaning forward now, and he..."

"Can you see him?"

"Yes."

"Is he cute?"

Anna nodded "Very cute."

"He is?"

"I should say he looks...he looks kinda like Heath."

Jay tore his gaze away from the window. _"Heath? _What, Heath of the tree lot?"

"Now, Jay, you must admit Heath's a very good-looking guy. Personally, I've always found him kinda cute myself, but I'm a married woman, so he's off limits, but even if he wasn't, I wouldn't go after him, because he doesn't swing that way-"

"He's gay? How do you know he's gay?"

"I have Gaydar. This guy, he's like you. Not flaming by any stretch, but you can tell."

"This is a fine time to talk about Heath!" Jay snorted in disgust.

"Now...If you don't like Heath, I can tell you, you won't like that guy."

"Why?"

"Because...it's Heath."

"_No."_ Jay facepalmed in shock as he caught a glimpse of the young man reading the Kindle. Of all the people he could have fallen in love with online, he had to pick the one guy he disliked the most. It made him want to throw up a little in his mouth. "If this isn't karma coming back to bite me in the ass, I don't know what is."

"What are you gonna do, make him wait?"

"Why shouldn't Heath wait?" Jay exclaimed, flopping back down on the bench. "We've been at each other's throats for weeks!"

"But still, he wrote those lovely emails, Jay-Jay."

"I know. And don't call me Jay-Jay." Jay snapped. "Don't you have to be somewhere?"

Anna fumbled through her purse until she found her keys. "I do. I should be going, anyway. You can walk me to the truck if you want. It'll give you a chance to clear your head."

"Maybe I need to clear my head. Good idea." He accompanied his lady friend to her truck. "Bye, Anna. And thanks."

Anna climbed in and started the truck up. Above the throaty rumble of the engine, she said, "Bye, Jay-Jay. And you're welcome."

"Don't call me—" Jay started, just as Anna rolled up the truck windows and drove off. "Oh, forget it!" Sighing in despair, he wondered if maybe he should just up and go home. But he decided not to. _Might as well get this over with, _he thought, taking off his red scarf and putting it in the inside pocket of his coat...

~~~TLATS~~~

"Excuse me, young man, could I have this chair?"

Heath glanced up from his Kindle and shook his head at the young busboy. "No. I'm sorry. I'm expecting somebody. He should be here any minute."

"That's all right. That's..." The busboy noticed the color of the e-reader. "Red Kindle, huh?"

"Yeah. My guest is gonna wear a red scarf. My Kindle cover's red so he'll know who I am."

"A few nights ago we had a case with red roses. Turned out pretty happy. But once, about three months ago, we had a very sad case with a red gardenia. She waited all evening and nobody came. And when we cleaned the restaurant, underneath one of the tables...we found another red gardenia. Imagine, the man must've come in...taken one look at her, said, "Phooey," and threw away his gardenia."

"How sad."

"It has a happy end, sort of. We gave the flower to one of the girls who had a green thumb. From what she told me, she got it growing in her garden pretty nice."

"Is your clock a little fast? My watch says 8:27, and the clock up there says 8:31."

"Listen, you have nothing to worry about, a cute guy like you. If he doesn't come, I'll put on a red scarf myself," the busboy smirked, making Heath laugh in return. The exchange was cut short as the busboy was called away by his boss,

Meanwhile, Jay had wandered into the restaurant, trying not to call too much attention to himself. He stopped at Heath's table and watched the young man as he read his Kindle. A moment passed as he screwed his courage to the sticking place: "Hello, Heath."

Heath glanced up from his Kindle and his eyes widened in surprise. "Uhhhh...Hi, Jay."

"Quite a coincidence. I had a date here, too. You haven't seen Anna or her husband by chance?"

"No, I haven't."

"All right. Well, I think I'll wait." Jay glanced over at the empty chair across from Heath. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

"Yes, I do. You know, I have a date, too, Jay."

"Oh, yes, I remember. Yes. And your friend seems to be a little late."

"And I'll thank you not to be sarcastic. I know you've had a bad day, and you feel very bitter. Still, that's no reason..."

"Bitter? Me? About leaving the tree lot?" Jay snorted. "When I got home and checked phone messages...in five minutes I had what amounts to two offers, and Anna's husband has me penciled in as a new employee at his office if the offers don't pan out."

"Congratulations, Jay. I wish you luck."

"I see you've got a Kindle. What are you reading on it?"

"Yes, I have a Kindle, and I'm reading Dean R. Koontz, do you mind?"

"No, no, I just didn't expect to meet you here, reading Dean R. Koontz on a Kindle, that's all. It's quite a surprise. I didn't know you cared for his work."

"There are many things you don't know about me, Jay."

"Have you read _It_ by Stephen King?"

"No, I haven't."

"I have," Jay answered, pointing to himself for emphasis. "There are many things _you_ don't know about _me, _Heath. As a matter of fact...there might be a lot we don't know about each other. People seldom go to the trouble of scratching the surface of things to find what's inside."

"I really wouldn't care to scratch your surface, Jay because I know exactly what I'd find. Instead of a heart, a wreath. Instead of a soul, a bunch of pinecones. And instead of an intellect, a cheap gift card."

Jay cocked an eyebrow. "That's very nicely put."

"You think so?"

Jay sat down in the empty chair. "Comparing my intellect to a gift card. Yeah, that's a very interesting mix of poetry and spite."

"Spite?" Heath glared at his ex boss hotly. "Let me tell you something about..."

"Hey, cool your jets," Jay interrupted, putting a hand up. "I'm only trying to pay you a compliment."

"Jay, please! I told you I was expecting somebody."

"Look, if your party doesn't show up, could l..."

"Don't worry about that!" Heath snapped, cutting Jay off before the sentence could be finished. Jay decided to get up; he knew when he wasn't welcome. "My date will show up, so you don't have to entertain me." With those words, Heath bent over his Kindle once again, his posture saying, _Get Lost!_

Dejected, Jay walked away from the table. He was accosted by a waiter. "Is everything okay, Sir?"

"Uhmmm...whatever your nightly special is, can I get it to go, please? Medium rare, with a baked potato, and salad with honey mustard?"

"Of course. You can pick it up at the counter."

"Thank you." Jay was about to sit on a bench up front and wait for his to-go order when he spotted Heath glancing up from his Kindle to look out the window for his date. At first, he thought, _Forget him! Break it off with him online. It's not worth the heartache._ His next thought was _Talk to him. He's hurt, and he deserves an apology, or at least an explanation._

He decided to go back. Unfortunately, the Pandora's Box of all of Jay's secret hateful parts—his arrogance, his spite, and his condescension—had sprung open. Mr. Nasty was about to make an appearance, whether Jay wanted him to or not, and Jay had an urge to zing Heath for all he was worth.

Jay found an empty table right next to Heath and sat down, positioning his chair so that he was facing away from the young man. "Have you read _Ghost Story_ by Stephen King?"

"_Ghost Story_ was not by Stephen King. It was written by Peter Straub." Heath recognized the voice and turned around in annoyance. "Jay, are you still here?!" he snapped, as Jay turned to face him. "Are you deliberately trying to ruin my night? Why do you hate me so much?"

"I don't."

"I suppose you love me."

"Why should I?" Jay snarked. "What've you done to endear yourself to me? I don't want you to love me. I don't!"

Jay became aware of the cheery holiday music that was being played in the restaurant. He nodded as he recognized the tune. "Recognize that music? _Sleigh Ride_ by The Ventures. Do you know what that tune reminds me of?"

"Yes, thank you. Wreath kits and _frou-frou _K-cup coffee."

"No, no. Wrong again. It was playing in the lot when I said good-bye to everyone. It reminds me of a man out of a job. A very nice man, too, I thought."

"You thought that?" Heath gasped. "How you can lie!"

"But that was before you started to make fun of me...and giving imitations of me in the break room. And I'd like to take this opportunity, Heath...to inform you that I don't walk like a duck...and I don't go commando!"

"Well, do you?"

"NO!"

"Well, Kurt said that you go commando, and you wear Duluth Trading Ballroom Jeans so nobody notices how much you waddle."

"That's not true! I wear boxers!" Jay got out of the chair he was in so quickly, it nearly fell over. "So that's the kind of a man you trust. No! I wear boxers, and I don't waddle! And if you think for a second that I go commando, I'll...I'll drop my pants in the middle of the street!" Jay plunked himself down at Heath's table and glared icily at the young. "And furthermore, would you like it if I called you a dumb ginger?"

"That's what you did."

"After you started making fun of my legs."

"I am _not _a dumb ginger!"

"No, you're not! You're a ginger-headed, fourteen year-old girlish SHOWOFF! Let me tell you something, Heath. You may have beautiful thoughts, but you hide them. As far as your actions, you're cold and snippy, and you bark stuff out like a drunken pirate! You'll have a tough time getting a man to fall in love with you."

Heath began to laugh. "So, no man could fall in love with me? Jay, you're getting funnier every minute. I could show you emails that would open your eyes. On second thought, maybe I shouldn't show them, because you wouldn't understand what's in them. They're written by a type of man so much better than you, it isn't even funny. I have to laugh when I think of you calling me a dumb ginger who barks like a drunk pirate. You insignificant…TREE SALESMAN!"

Silence fell over the table, so thick, it could be sliced. Finally, Jay gained his composure. His voice was cold. "You know what? I think I'll call it a night before I say something to you that I know I'll regret." He rose from the table, patting his coat to ensure that he still had his wallet. "I'll pay for my dinner and head home. Good-bye, Heath."

"Good-bye, Jay."

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This one was considerably shorter than the last couple of chapters, but I think it works. The fourteen year-old girlish comment was a nod to Edge and Christian. I'll have a couple more chapters up tomorrow. This story is wrapping up faster than I thought it would, which I'm quite happy about.**

**REVIEWS = LOVE**


	6. Chapter 6

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Hopefully, I can get this story finished by Christmas Eve, which I think would be kinda appropriate. Thanks to everyone who's favorited, alerted and reviewed this work. Your support means everything:)**

_**Chapter Six**_

_After talking Hunter down from his figurative ledge, Miz locked up the lot and RV and drove Hunter to the hospital. Hunter's snippiness with his employees the past few days now made sense. Miz wanted to comfort Hunter, give Jay a hug, and knock Kurt's teeth down his throat, all at the same time._

_Once Hunter was admitted into the hospital (no mention of the gun or suicide attempt was made), Miz left a frantic message for Jay to meet him at Smith Memorial Hospital, and then found a seat in the waiting room. It was time to straighten things out..._

"Doctor, I would say it's a nervous breakdown," Miz sighed to the doctor on duty (his name was Dr. Kevin Lofglun). He'd given a cover story about finding Hunter inconsolable and in shock in the trailer after learning of his wife's infidelity. "What do you think?"

The doctor was a youthful looking man with a nervous tic of pulling on his earlobe until it was red. "It appears to be an acute case of Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood," he explained to the young delivery driver, who got up to speak with him.

"Is that more expensive than a nervous breakdown?"

Dr. Lofglun shook his head. "So, Mr. Mizanin. Precisely what position do you hold with Triple H Trees?"

"I would describe myself as a contact man. I keep contact between Mr. Helmsley and the customers...in a borrowed truck."

"So, you're an errand boy?"

Miz glared at the Doctor. "I don't think I called you a pill-peddler, did I?"

The exchange was cut short as Jay emerged from an elevator. Miz rushed over in tired relief. "Jay, you made it!"

"Thanks for your call. I just had enough time to swing by my place and put my dinner in the fridge. How is he?"

"He had a nervous breakdown. Thanks for getting here so soon."

"Is it serious?"

"It was a terrible shock. Hunter's gonna need some time to get over it." He gestured for Jay to move in closer. "He had a gun pointed to his head. I didn't say anything about it to the doc, because that would bring in the cops, and then we'd have a huge mess. We have to keep this on the down-low, okay?"

"Absolutely."

"This incident must be kept in strict confidence between the three of us. Me, you, and Hunter. Speaking of Hunter, he wants to talk to you."

"He's awake, then?"

"Yeah. He says he owes you an apology, and an explanation." A pause. "Not to change the subject, but how was your date?"

"Less said about, the better," Jay sighed. "Let's just say I can't describe the evening without using the word _cluster_ in it somewhere."

"That bad, huh?"

"Yeah," nodded Jay as Miz led him to Hunter's room. "This day has been all kinds of suck. I'm glad it's almost over..."

~~~TLATS~~~

Hunter was sitting up in a hospital bed, dressed in a standard issue gown. He had dark circles under his eyes, and he looked pale and exhausted. He still managed a weak smile as he shook Jay's hand as warmly as he could.

"Thank you for coming, Jay." He pointed to one of the chairs in the room. "Sit down." Once Jay got situated, Hunter began;

"Do you remember the last time you came to my house for dinner? I said that if things go well, I might take it easier...and maybe by Christmas make you manager of the tree lot, and assistant manager for the tree farm. Now I _have_ to take it easier, for the sake of my mental health." Hunter paused. "Jay, would you mind working for me again?"

"Not at all," Jay reassured his boss. "You don't even have to ask, Hunter."

"I was such a fool, Jay. I didn't trust you. I hated you. At the end, I couldn't even stand the sight of you. That's how far jealousy can drive a man."

"But that's all over now, right?"

Hunter nodded. "When I first got that anonymous letter two weeks before Thanksgiving, I laughed. Stephanie seeing one of my employees behind my back. My wife!"

"But how could you suspect me, Hunter? I don't swing that way!"

"You see, you were the only one of my employees besides Kurt who's been to my home...and you sent my wife flowers after the dinner party."

"But that's just good manners."

"I know it was. But when that poison gets into a man's mind, it makes you say and think and do things that are completely out of character...Just try to understand."

"I do understand, Hunter. Sorry this had to happen to you."

Hunter pointed to a night stand next to his bed. "Open the drawer. There's something in there for you."

Jay opened the drawer. Inside it were two items. He gasped softly. "My keys. And my name tag. But there's more keys on the key ring."

"I put the main keys to the tree lot on it. And my business cell phone is in there. Stephanie's number has been blocked, so she shouldn't be a problem."

Jay was touched and awe-struck by his boss's gesture. "Thank you, Hunter. What should I do about..."

"Kurt? I want him dismissed as quietly as possible. No scandal. Don't even mention the subject to him. We won't lower ourselves to his level."

"Good decision, Hunter." Jay grinned as he got up from his chair. "This will be the biggest Christmas in the history of Triple H Trees. I just know it."

"I know it will."

"Take care of yourself. Stay in touch."

"Jay?" The new tree lot manager was halfway to the door when Hunter stopped him. "Before you go?"

"Yeah?"

"Now that you're the boss, if you want to give yourself a raise..."

Jay smirked. "I'll talk it over with myself, and if I don't want too much money, I'll give it to myself. Thanks!"

"Congratulations, Jay. I wish it was under better circumstances."

"That's alright. Thank you. Good-bye, and take care."

~~~TLATS~~~

"Mike, I don't know how to thank you. You saved my life," Hunter said to Miz, who was visiting one last time before heading back to the tree lot (he would be spending the night there again, after stopping by his place for a suitable change of clothes).

"Don't mention it. It was a pleasure. If you need me, I'm just a phone call away." He paused and smirked. "I'm still nothing but an errand boy at the tree lot, aren't I?"

"In other words, you'd like to be a salesman?"

"I wouldn't be _that_ blunt."

"When I get to feeling better..."

"But then you might change your mind. Who knows how long you'll have to stay here. You're a pretty ill man, Hunter. This isn't just an ordinary breakdown."

"All right, you're promoted," Hunter chuckled, tossing a small box of Kleenex at his favorite pain in the ass. "Now, go!"

"Thanks, Hunter!" Miz grinned before he practically skipped out of the room. "Take care."

~~~TLATS~~~

"Jay, I think I speak for all of us when I say heartiest congratulations," Kurt wheedled, pouring on the fake charm. It was now morning at the tree lot, and everyone was gathered in the breakroom after helping unload the new shipment of trees, still in happy shock over Jay's rehire/promotion. "What a load off my mind. Now we're all one little happy family again. I promise to cooperate as much as I can. I want you to be a great success. From now on, you're going to the office, aren't you?"

"That's right, Kurt," Jay said, politely.

"If anybody deserves that office, it's you."

"Thanks." Jay glanced down at the new jewelry on Kurt's finger. "Where'd you get the ring?"

"Nice, isn't it? I had a little luck last night, too. Real diamond. My grandma gave it to me. That's what you get when you're a good boy. Some get apples, I get diamonds."

_Grandma, huh? A grandma with a boob job who just bought a new entertainment center? _Jay wondered to himself. "So, I guess you're a good boy?"

"Yeah. By the way, I have some ideas for the wreath kit displays."

"Thank you, Kurt. The rest of us can take care of the that. Right now, I'd like you to go into the north corner, and you know those trees in that corner?"

"Yeah. The small ones?"

"That's right, and the big trees on the south corner?"

"South corner?"

Jay nodded. He had a bland smile on his face to conceal the fact that he wanted to slap the smirk off of Kurt's lips. "South corner. I want you to take all the trees from the south corner...and move them to the north corner, and the small trees...from the north corner and move them to the south corner." Jay caught the look of disbelief on Kurt's face. "You don't want to do it?"

"I didn't say that," Kurt backpedaled. "Of course I'll do it. I'm a team player."

"All right then, get to it. Thanks."

Meanwhile, Mike was busy on his end. "Hi, Is this the Heartland Employment Agency? Yes, my name is Mike Mizanin of Triple H Trees. We have an opening for a new errand boy and delivery driver. I want a educated, healthy young man, good family, clean driving record, a truck that runs, and no bad habits. Great, you've got someone! Send him over. Right away, if you can. Tell them to ask for Mike. I'm at the cashier's booth. I appreciate it. Thanks."

After he hung up, he noticed Anna, Trish and Jeff standing in front of him with surprised looks on their faces. "What's the matter, you never saw me dressed up before?"

"Who promoted you?" Trish asked.

"Yes, you look quite spiffy today," Jeff commented. Instead of the grubbies he usually wore while running errands, Miz had on a nice winter coat, a flannel shirt, and new looking Levis. "You clean up very well."

"I can't give you the whole story. Suffice it to say, that if it hadn't been for me, this place would be closed on account of a death in the family, and you'd all be unemployed," Miz explained, just as the phone rang. "Hold on a second. Good morning, Triple H Trees, this is Mike, how can I help you. Oh, hi, Mrs. Helmsley."

Miz smirked and covered the receiver with his hand. "Don't miss this, guys. Yes, this is Mike speaking. That's right. I didn't bring you that bottle of perfume? Well, you won't get it! What do you think of that? Beall's is an hour away, there's no way I can drive there, not when I have other responsibilities, you know how much gas that'll eat up, and how much wear and tear I'll have on my truck?

"Yes! This is Mike speaking. You want to speak to Hunter? That's too bad. At the moment he's up in a balloon with two blondes with breasts that are big _without_ implants." He paused, as the employees assembled around him snickered. "Now, listen as I go in for the kill. You wouldn't like to speak by any chance to Mr. Angle, would you?"

CLICK! Dial tone. Miz grinned. "Busted. I'll let you all connect the dots. In the meantime, I'm getting some coffee."

Anna chuckled at the retreating form of the lot's favorite pain in the ass. "Well, I'll be dammed."

"So _that's_ why Hunter's been so cranky." Trish nodded.

Jeff provided his own two cents. "I guess it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what was going on. I'm surprised that none of us caught on sooner."

~~~TLATS~~~

After moving the trees as Jay had requested, Angle stumbled into the office. "You sent for me, Jay?"

Jay leaned across the desk. "Angle, I'm a little worried about you. Will you be comfortable under a former, fellow salesman?"

"Working under a younger man? Jay, this is the age of youth, and I always ride with the times. You're a smart young man and my hat's off to you."

Jay closed his eyes and counted to ten before he spoke again. "Let's cut to the chase. You and I never got along."

"You really think so?"

"Admit it. You don't like me."

"I don't? Wait a minute, Jay. You are the boss."

"That's right."

"But I'm not going to be a "yes" man. You know what I'll do? I'm going to contradict you. I _do_ like you! Anything else bothering you?"

"Yes, Kurt. _I _don't like you."

"That's your opinion, and I'll give you points for honesty. So now, it's up to me to change your mind. I don't think it'll be so hard. I heard the funniest joke. Do you want to hear it?"

"No, thank you!" Jay barked, before Hunter's cell rang. "Hello! Yes, this is Triple H Trees. Mrs. Howard? How are you? Oh, okay, you're calling for Heath. Oh, I'm sorry. I hope it's nothing serious. Fine, I'm glad to hear that. Don't worry about it. Tell him that until he's feeling completely better, take it easy the next couple of days. Oh, it's cool. We'll pick up the slack. Tell Heath to take care of himself, okay? Okay. Stay in touch. Bye."

"Really, Jay, that's a wonderful attitude," Kurt schmoozed, after Jay disconnected the call. "What's so wonderful about it? I've been around, and I have my eyes open. If anyone disagreed with you around here, it was Heath."

"_Leave Heath out of this!" _Jay snapped, smacking the desk.

"Hey, I have nothing against Heath," Kurt backpedaled. "I think he's a nice kid, but he doesn't know when to stop sometimes-"

"Not another word about Heath," Jay snarled, as he advanced on Kurt, which forced the smarmy salesman to back out of the office and out into the hall. He works hard, and he's a nice guy, and he's an honest kid, and _you shut your piehole!"_

"Hey, take it easy! I was agreeing with you."

"I don't want you to agree with me, Kurt! You're fired."

Kurt looked like he'd been hit in the head with a metal tree stand. _"What?!"_

"I said, you're fired. Get out of here, you two-faced, double-crossing...two-timer! Go on. Get out of here!"

Kurt ran from the office like a scalded dog. "Guys! Hey Guys! _Guys!"_ he shouted, like he was a five year-old tattling on his brother. "Did you hear what he called me? He called me a double-crossing two-timer!" Anna and Trish just watched with quiet smirks on their faces. The brothers Hardy were suppressing their laughter. Even Miz, who had been on his way back to the breakroom, stopped to watch the drama, knowing that Kurt was getting exactly what he deserved.

"I told you to get out of here!" Jay caught up to Kurt at the cashier's booth and shoved him. Now leave!"

"Don't you push. Don't you push! What right have you got to fire me? Does Hunter know?"

"That's none of your business! I'm the manager, and you don't work here anymore!"

"How do I know you're the manager? Prove it to me in black and white."

"I'll prove it to you in black and blue if you don't start your stepping and _hit the bricks, Angle!"_

Kurt glared at Jay and brushed the dirt off his coat. "All right! Nice little case of assault and battery. You'll hear from my lawyer. What about my paycheck?"

"Anna, get the man's paycheck. It's in your register. We have everything prepared. I decided to pay you until the end of the season. We don't want to waste any time."

"I'm entitled to a letter of reference!" barked Kurt, snatching the paycheck from Anna's outstretched hand.

"I forgot it. I'll have Trish bang out a letter and send it to you. _To whom it may concern: Mr. Angle has been employed Triple H Trees for two years during which time he's been efficient...as a stool pigeon, a troublemaker, and a rat! If he doesn't clear out, he'll get his ass kicked and cheerfully handed to him! Sincerely, Jason Reso, Manager of Triple H Trees."_

That left Angle speechless and completely humiliated. Without a backwards glance, he stomped out of the lot and burned rubber as he squealed his tires driving out of his parking space. Everyone in the lot waited until Angle was gone. Then, they all broke into applause, with Anna whistling through her fingers, the Hardys shouting _Bravo! _and Mike slapping Jay on the back in appreciation.

Jay took a comical bow and waited until the applause died down. "Thanks, everyone. Now, for our next trick...we're gonna make all these trees disappear. Let's get to work and sell these bad boys..."

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Don't worry _too_ much about Kurt. Bottom feeders like his character in this story usually land on their feet in one way or another. Now everyone knows what happened with Hunter and his wife. BTW, I had considered casting Evan Bourne as the errand boy who turns salesman, because I thought it would be fun trying to write him as a cocky pain-in-the-ass type. However, my Miz muse talked some sense into me, and he wound up with the part. Miz is the pain-in-the-ass that you don't mind having because he's good at his job and knows it, and you know he'll always have your back. **

**Smith Memorial Hospital is another Lemax Christmas building that inspired me. **

**REVIEWS = LOVE**


	7. Chapter 7

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Not much to write about today. This one may be pretty short and sweet, but it'll resolve the Jay/Heath situation somewhat.**

_**Chapter Seven**_

_To: InstantClassic  
From: onemanrockband2k12_

_I've been thinking about you. _

_Last night I went to meet you, and you weren't there. I wish I knew why. I felt so foolish. And as I waited, someone else showed up: a man who has made my professional life a misery. And an amazing thing happened. I was able, for the first time in my life to say the exact thing I wanted to say at the exact moment I wanted to say it. And, of course, afterwards, I felt terrible, just as you said I would. I was cruel, and I'm never cruel. And even though I can hardly believe what I said mattered to this man—to him, I'm just a bug to squash—but what if it did? _

_No matter what he's done to me, there's no excuse for my behavior. _

_Anyway, I really wanted to talk to you. I hope you have a good reason for not being there last night. You don't seem like the kind of person that would do something like that. The odd thing about this form of communication is you're more likely to talk about nothing than something. But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many... somethings. So, thanks._

~~~TLATS~~~

After calling in sick at the tree lot, Heath decided to surf the net and check his email. Like so many times before, he went online, and his breath caught in his chest as he waited for those three little words; _You've got mail_. He heard nothing. Not even a sound on the streets, just the beating of his own heart.

Only this time, he didn't have mail. No email from InstantClassic.

_Maybe it hasn't arrived yet, sometimes there's a delay, _Heath thought, refreshing the screen. He was still hopeful that maybe an email would show up, providing a good explanation as to why his friend didn't show up the night before.

No luck. Heath's heart sank as he turned off his laptop and got his coat. No sense moping around anymore. Heath decided to grab his keys and drive over to the lot. If he threw himself into his work and avoided Jay, maybe things would be okay.

The lot was busy, and Heath had to park at the end of the lot. He rushed into the lot, mumbling a few apologies and uttering a few breathless greetings before he ran into the office. His heart nearly stopped as he saw who was behind the desk.

"Jay?"

"Heath!"

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Heath. I guess you're surprised to see me back."

Heath decided to be polite. "Naturally. I'm glad you have your job back again. Congratulations."

"Thanks. I hear you haven't been feeling well."

"That's all right, thank you. I wanted to see Mr. Helmsley."

"Well, uhmm...Here he is," Jay shrugged. "I'm Mr. Helmsley."

Heath sighed and folded his arms across his chest. "Jay, don't make any jokes," he said, his voice wobbly. "Not today. If you wanna pick on me, do it some other time, okay?"

"I don't know what to tell you, Heath. I'm trying to tell you that Mr. Helmsley isn't here, and that I'm the manager."

Heath turned and smacked the wall. "How much of a creepy little bastard are you, Jay?" he exclaimed. "I'm not well, I can hardly see straight. Everything is a big train wreck right now. _I just ask you a simple question and you try to scare me!"_

Hunter's cell phone rang, interrupting Heaths's tirade. Jay picked it up. "Excuse me, I'm sorry. I have to answer this. Hello. Mr. Michaels? Hi, Mr. Michaels. Yes. Well, thank you very much. Yes, it all happened this morning. That's right, Mr. Michaels. No, Mr. Helmsley won't be with us for a while, he's taken a leave of absence. I don't own the tree lot yet. I'm the interim manager. Okay. Thanks, I'll talk to you soon. Bye..."

Jay ended his call just in time to see Heath stagger out of the office. He went to try and chase him down. "Heath! _Heath! Come back Heath!"_

~~~TLATS~~~

Thankfully, the day flew by, so Jay didn't have a chance to really think about the devastated look on Heath's face. When closing time rolled around, however, Jay decided that it was cruel to string Heath along. The big reveal would come sooner than later, and before he revealed himself as Heath's anonymous friend, he had to mend things first and visit the young man.

Howard House was a large, well-kept Tudor home on Caddington Street that was used as a boarding house. Jay was greeted warmly by one of the owners, a pudgy looking woman in a floral housecoat, and directed to Heath's room on the second floor. The lights were on.

Screwing his courage to the sticking place, Jay knocked gently on the door. "Come in," said a quiet voice.

Jay opened the door and stepped inside. Heath's room was decent sized, with a bay window and a small but comfortable-looking bed. A laptop was sitting on a table at the far end of the room, and Heath sat on the bed, his hair rumpled, and his face pale. He was wearing a t-shirt with an MMA design on it and black sweatpants. "Hi, Heath."

"Good evening, Jay," Heath said tiredly

"Sorry to drop by uninvited, but I...being in charge of the tree lot kinda makes me feel like a dad. Anyway, how are you doing?"

"I'll be all right, Jay. Please have a seat. It's kinda crowded, so I tried to make as much space as I could when I moved in."

"It's comfy, thank you." Jay sat at the foot of Heath's bed. "Y'know, Christmas is coming in a few days, and we'll miss a good worker like you in the tree lot. So, I hope you get better soon."

"I'll be all right in a few days."

"That doesn't mean that you should neglect yourself. I mean it, Heath." Jay paused, and then gazed over at the young man, his voice soft with regret. "I have a confession for you. I feel like I caused a lot of this, you know, with the way I've treated you, and I think I owe you an apology."

Heath's eyes widened. "Really?" This was the last thing he was expecting to hear from the cocky tree salesman.

"Yeah."

"Oh, no, Jay. It's not your fault. There's a bigger reason."

"Bigger reason? Maybe you should see a doctor."

"No, I don't need to see a doctor. I guess you can call it...personal problems. It's my own personal problem, and I'll come out of it."

"I'm sorry. It's a shame you have to go through all this. You don't have to go through it by yourself."

Heath snorted and shook his head. "Jay, it's true we're in the same room, but not exactly on the same planet."

"Mars and Venus, right?" Jay asked. "Heath, I can't help but admire how eloquently you express yourself, even though I was the target of that remark." A chuckled escaped him. "You certainly know how to put a man in his planet."

A stout gray-haired man appeared in the doorway, holding a tray with a bowl of soup, some bread and a cup of tea. "Hi, Heath. You doing alright? Thelma asked me to bring you up a tray with some soup."

"Thank you. Come on in. Jack, this is my boss. Jay Reso, Triple H Trees."

"I'm glad to meet you." Jack set the tray down carefully on the dresser in the room before shaking Jay's hand. His grip was warm and confident. "Jack Howard."

"How's it going?"

"Can't complain. Can I get you something hot to drink? Coffee, tea?"

"I'm alright. Thanks for asking, though."

Heath pointed to the table. "Jack, would you be kind enough to bring me my laptop?"

"Of course. Here." Heath turned on the laptop. Suddenly, the familiar voice announced, _You've Got Mail,_ and his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. While he checked the email, Jay and Jack engaged in some cordial chat.

Jack turned to head back downstairs. "Jay, it was nice to meet you. If you need anything, don't be afraid to give me or Thelma a shout."

"Thank you. I will. And feel free to swing by the tree lot. We'll give you a nice deal on a Douglas Fir." After Jack left, Jay watched in amusement as Heath read his email. "I hope it's good news in that email. You look like you're over the moon right now."

"I'll tell you later. Jay, it was nice of you to drop in. I don't want to spoil your whole evening."

"It's okay. I have nothing planned tonight. Go ahead and read that email. Don't worry about me. That is, if you don't mind."

"Not at all."

"Good news?"

Heath was grinning like an idiot. "Very good news. I'm gonna be back at the tree lot tomorrow, ready and raring to go. I'll sell wreaths and trees left and right."

"That's quite a change in you. It's amazing what one email can do."

"If I weren't feeling so happy, I'd be very annoyed with you."

"With me? Why?"

"Why?" Heath huffed. "Because you spoiled my date last night. I wasn't so wrong when I asked you not to sit at my table. InstantClassic _did_ go to Monty's. He looked in the window, saw us together, and misunderstood."

"He thought you and I were friends?"

"He must have. Listen: _Tell me and be frank. I think you owe it to me. Who is this very attractive young man? He's just the type a guy like me would fall for."_

Jay got off the bed and glanced out the window so that Heath couldn't see the smirk that crossed his lips. "I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble, Heath."

"It's all right. I'll straighten it out. It won't hurt him to be a little jealous."

"He doesn't seem to be much of a man, this friend of yours. I mean, he walks away. He's afraid to come over to the table when another man is there."

"No, Jay, he's wasn't afraid. He's tactful. He's sensitive. He's not the type of man who would walk up to a table uninvited.

"It's difficult to explain a man like him to a man like you. Where you would say,_ black, _he would say, _white. _Where you would say, _ugly, _he says, _beautiful. _And when you say, _dumb ginger,_ he says, _Eyes that sparkle with fire and mystery...vivacious. Fascinating." _Heath paused, and then he smiled thoughtfully. "Jay...I wanna get my friend a Christmas present. Nothing that's not too extravagant. But something I know he can use and appreciate."

"A wreath kit?"

"Very funny," Heath snorted.

"Heath, you're taking an awful big chance. Why don't you give him a wallet? I'm sure he'd be crazy about it. Any man would be. A wallet is practical. Besides, they're affordable. You can get a nice one at Walmart."

"I'm not interested."

"It's better than a bag of branches we're trying to pass off as wreath kits. Even though they _do _sell."

"No, I'm sorry."

Jay was undaunted. "Besides being practical...a wallet...can be rather romantic. On one side he has your last letter, or email if you will, on the other side, a picture of you. When he opens it, there you are. And that's all he'll ever need or want."

"Why, Jay, you surprise me. That's very well-expressed. I must admit, that's very nice. But..._naah._ I think I'll get him a gift card."

"Don't get him one from Pam's Arts & Crafts."

Heath busted up laughing. "Heaven Forbid! That's probably the last thing he'd want," as he nearly fell over sideways on his bed. He managed to recover and got up to give Jay a hug. "Thanks for stopping by, Jay. I really appreciated it."

Jay returned the hug, giving Heath a gentle pat on the back. He smiled warmly at the young man in his arms. "I'm glad you did. I guess there's not much more I can say, except...Merry Christmas to the both of you."

"Thank you, Jay, good night."

"Good night, Heath. I'll see myself out. See you tomorrow morning.

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Told you this would be short and sweet. ONE MORE CHAPTER! WOW! I don't think I've put a story up this quickly before. The email was from _You've Got Mail_. Read, review, and tell all your friends!:)**

**REVIEWS = LOVE**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight**_

_After Hunter's breakdown and Jay's promotion, Triple H Trees continued to see brisk business. The trees continued to sell well, and the morale among the employees improved drastically. Heath and Jay got along much better. Jay, of course, made no mention of the disastrous date at Monty's, and Heath didn't bring it up.  
_

_Kurt was never seen at the lot again. Word on the street was that he'd moved out of town with the former Stephanie Helmsley. Speaking of which...Hunter filed for divorce from his wife, and a court issued gag order prevented word of the divorce from going public._

_Miz found his replacement in a young man named Randy Orton. Randy was a sports medicine student over at Blakely College, and he'd just moved to Heartland Valley to continue his studies on a scholarship. Randy needed the money, and by working as a delivery driver and errand boy, he made good money and got familiar with his new surroundings quickly. Miz had the kid under a microscope, but he did it because he knew the kid had potential, and he genuinely wanted Randy to succeed._

_Finally, Christmas Eve day rolled around, the lot was jumping, and there was a certain magic in the air. Miz had just gotten off the phone with Hunter, and Hunter had great news. He was doing much better, and he was convalescing at home after being released from the hospital. The last shipment of trees were selling briskly, and the delivery drivers were out full force. Everyone, except for Randy, who had just ducked in to grab a cup of coffee and wolf down the muffin that he'd been graciously given earlier. So naturally, Miz felt it necessary to motivate his successor..._

"Randy!"

"Yes, Miz?" Randy tossed his empty cup into the trash.

"Do you know what time it is?"

"A few minutes after ten."

Miz cocked an eyebrow. "And you're still here?" he questioned. His voice was kind, but firm. "Randy, you're doing a bang-up job out there, but you have to be faster, especially on Christmas Eve." He passed the rookie driver a slip of paper with addresses and delivery information. "Everyone's running around like chickens with their heads cut off, trying to get their holiday preparations together. And you have to make sure that everyone gets their trees delivered as soon as possible. So you need to step it up a little, okay?"

"Okay, sure."

Miz gave Randy a friendly slap on the back. "But don't go breaking speed limits. Last thing we need is for you to get into a wreck on Christmas Eve."

Randy got in his truck, which had already been loaded with trees, and pulled easily out into traffic. Once he left, Miz gathered the remaining employees together. "All right. Okay, everyone. I have great news. I talked to Hunter this morning, and he's doing great! He's been resting at home, and he sends everyone his appreciation."

Anna smiled. "That's wonderful! Can we visit him?"

Trish suggested, "Let's all get together and buy him a nice Christmas present. Maybe a nice Christmas gift basket."

Jay shook his head. "That's all very nice, but the best present we could give him is a bare-looking tree lot with nothing in it except money in the cash register." The employees groaned. "Now, come on, guys! Let's make this the biggest Christmas Eve day in the history of Triple H Trees."

Miz clapped his hands. He was quite enjoying his job as salesman, and liked interacting with potential customers. "No use standing here then. Let's go kick some holiday butt."

The employees went back to work, but Jay noticed that someone was missing from their impromptu meeting. "Where's Heath?"

Jay searched around the lot for him and found him opening up a box. "Sorry, I was just getting the last set of stands up. Jay, what is it?"

"How are you today?"

"I'm good, thanks."

Jay's smile was genuine. "Glad to hear it. We're expecting terrific business today. It's going to be tough, but don't overdo it."

"No problem. If I need a breather, you'll be the first to know."

~~~TLATS~~~

Later, Anna and Heath were busy setting out the last of the wreath kits. "Anna, can you keep a secret?"

Anna grinned. "I can take a secret to the grave. Okay Heath...spill."

"When I come back Monday, I might have a ring on my finger. Maybe, you never know."

"What?" It took a moment for Heath's words to register. "You're might get engaged? That's wonderful! And that's with the man you're conversing with online, right?"

"Yeah. He and I worked things out."

"I'm so glad. It's nice to see you so happy. You and your friend, you have any plans tonight?"

"We're gonna be spending Christmas Eve together. How about you?"

"Justin and I are gonna be spending Christmas Eve together, too. Tomorrow, we're gonna have family coming in for the weekend. We already have it planned. We're going to the Centre Stage Playhouse, and then have dinner at Lander's."

"Sounds like fun."

"We planned it out like that intentionally. This way, nobody has to cook, and our families still have a chance to get together and do something fun. No muss, no fuss. Besides, our house isn't big enough for everyone, so our guests either had to get hotel rooms or head out the same night. Justin pulled a few strings with a friend over at the Park Hotel, so they'll be staying over in comfort for a couple of days."

The two of them worked in companionable silence, and then Heath asked, "Anna, I need some help. If you were in my shoes, what would you give a potential husband for Christmas?"

"Well, I gave Justin an engraved money clip three years ago. He uses it all the time, still. Hmmm...how about, uhm...a wallet? You can swing by Walmart and pick up a really nice one. Genuine leather, too."

"That's what I was thinking of."

"You can't miss with a wallet. If Justin got one, he'd be very, very happy. I'm gonna get him a new one when we start our family. You see, on one side, I'll put a picture of me. And on the other side, a picture of our baby. So when he opens it, it'll have everything he needs. No missing ribbons, or gift cards, or wires."

"Thanks, Anna! That's a great idea!" Heath exclaimed happily, before calling Randy on his cell. "Hey, Randy. It's Heath. You think you can swing by Walmart and pick up a wallet..."

Anna set out another cellophane wrapped kit. "Jay," she said to herself. "You're getting a wallet."

~~~TLATS~~~

_Later, in the south corner of the lot, where the small trees were..._

"Do you think Eric would like that tree in the dining room?" asked one warmly bundled shopper to another.

"I don't know. I'm not so sure."

A tall man with blonde hair and a big nose approached the two shoppers. "Hi, ladies. I can't see very well without my glasses. Could you tell me the price on that small Nordman?"

"$19.95."

The blonde smiled. "That's a really good deal. I wonder how Triple H Trees can do it."

"If you don't know, Hunter, then you're hopeless?"

Hunter turned around so quickly, he nearly stumbled into the tree. "Aww, Jay!" he laughed. "You blew my cover!"

Jay was beaming. His boss looked more relaxed and at ease, and a genuine smile was on his face. "Hunter, what are you doing here? When'd you show up?"

"Half an hour ago. The lot's so crowded, I could slip in without being noticed. I'm supposed to be taking a leave of absence, but it's Christmas Eve, and I couldn't stay away any longer. Can you imagine me, over a week in the hospital...without seeing a single customer? And they expect me to get well?"

Jay laughed and gestured towards the throngs of last-minute tree shoppers. "Well, we have no shortage of customers today."

"Good. This is what I was hoping to see."

"Hunter, take it easy. Don't overdo it. We wouldn't want you having a setback."

"I'm not, I came around to see if the tree lot is still here. Apparently, it's still standing." Hunter paused. "Jay, you haven't _completely_ taken over my office, have you?"

Jay shrugged. "I tried, but it wouldn't be the same. It's not Triple H Trees without you."

"Glad to hear that I haven't been completely replaced. Listen, I'm gonna slip into the office for a half-hour or so. I just have something I wanna work on before the end of the day."

"Do whatever you need to. Merry Christmas, Hunter."

"Same to you, Jay."

~~~TLATS~~~

When 6 pm rolled around, the last customer had left for the day, the wreath kits were all sold, and the lot was almost bare. Hunter and his employees were gathered around the cashier's booth.

"What's our grand total?" Jay asked, attempting to peer over Anna to look at the day's receipts.

"Well, we had 120 trees in the lot at the beginning of the day. We have 8 left. At an average price of forty dollars per tree, and at two dollars per mile for mileage out of town, we made nearly $5000 today."

"That's great!" Jay exclaimed, as the lot employees broke into applause.

"That's the biggest single day total since '06," Hunter said, happily. "You should be very proud." He paused. "I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Two hours ago when I walked in here, I was a sick man. But you, Jay, and you, Anna, you're the best doctors. And you, Heath and Trish, and Matt and Jeff...you're great nurses."

"Thank you." they all replied.

Hunter fixed his eyes on Miz. "Miz, you know how I feel about you."

"I'm a pain in the ass, aren't I?" Miz glanced down sheepishly.

"Yeah, you are..." Hunter paused, and then grinned and slapped the kid on the shoulder. "But I wouldn't get rid of you for the world."

"Thanks," Miz smiled, genuinely touched.

"First off, I wanna say thanks for the gift basket you guys sent to my house. That was really thoughtful of you guys. I read your Hallmark card over and over. And it made me very happy that you missed me...and hoped that I'd be coming back home soon again. And you're right, I've spent so much time here, that this is my home away from home."

Hunter removed some envelopes from the inside pocket of his winter coat and began to pass them out. "By the way, no Christmas is complete without a bonus. Jay..."

"Thanks."

"Heath...Miz..."

Thank you, sir.

"Thanks, Hunter."

"My cashiers, Trish...Anna..."

"Thanks!"

"Thank you, Hunter."

"And Matt, Jeff, I've called you both names on several occasions. When you see what's in these envelopes, you'll know that I didn't mean it."

"Thank you, Hunter."

"Thanks, Hunter! "

"I guess that's about all...here, there's one more envelope here. You're Miz's replacement, Randy, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"And he's a good kid, hard worker," Miz smiled, patting the rookie on the back.

"Well, Randy. I think this envelope's for you. Good job out there."

"Thank you, Mr. Helmsley."

"It's all right, Randy. Call me Hunter."

Miz glanced over at the check Randy was holding. "Not bad for a couple of weeks work, Kid," he said under his breath.

"We'll leave the tree lot just as it is until after Christmas," announced Hunter. "We'll call the tree recycler place, they'll make sure these trees are put to good use as mulch for next year. In the meantime. I want you all to go home now and have a very Merry Christmas."

"Thank you," everyone said, as they filed out. Jay and Hunter were the only ones left near the booth.

"Well, Jay, almost five grand of sales in a day. That's fantastic. Thanks for your hard work."

"I know you'd do the same for me, Hunter. It was a pleasure."

"Well, I think I'll have a...little dinner now, and celebrate Christmas. Have you ever been to Lander's?"

"No sir, I'm afraid that's a little pricier than I'm used to."

"Oh, hell. Christmas only comes once a year. How about joining me, and we can catch up and have a nice Christmas feast."

"Hunter, that sounds great, but..."

"You have another engagement?"

"Yeah. I do. I'll take a raincheck, though."

"Hey, that's cool. I wanted to be sure that you weren't gonna be a Christmas orphan. Have a wonderful time, and Merry Christmas."

"Same to you, Hunter," Jay grinned and went to get his things from the office.

Anna and Trish were the next ones Hunter encountered. "Anna, I guess you're going to have a nice party at your house tonight."

"I am."

"Who's on the guest list?"

"Just Justin and me. That's all we want, and we are very happy. Of course, until the in-laws show up tomorrow."

"Bet that's gonna be a madhouse."

"Actually, it won't. We have a game plan. We're all going to see White Christmas at the Centre Stage Playhouse."

"Oh, yeah. The original Broadway cast, huh?"

"That's the one. Then we're going to Lander's for dinner. No muss, no fuss, and the only thing Justin and I had to make were reservations."

"Well, smart idea. Merry Christmas."

"Thanks, and Merry Christmas, Hunter."

"Merry Christmas, Hunter."

"Thank you, Trish. Tell Lita and Glen I said hi. Hope they got the baby gift basket."

"I'm sure they did. Thanks."

A few more minutes passed, and then Miz punched Hunter playfully on the arm. "Still hanging around the tree lot, Hunter?"

"Can't get away from here. You'd better hurry home, Miz. You're probably celebrating Christmas with your family,"

"Not this year."

"So I'm wrong?"

"Yes, Hunter." Miz pointed to a young woman standing by a street lamp. "See that cute blonde girl over there in the parking lot, in the red BMW?"

"Yeah."

Miz winked. "Her name's Maryse. She's a French exchange student, and I'm her Santa Claus. Good night, Hunter."

"Good night, Mizzie," Hunter chuckled, as the lot's resident pain-in-the-ass practically skipped over to Maryse's car. "And thanks again."

The Hardy's were the next ones out. "Matt, Jeff, have a great Christmas. And say hi to Chris for me."

"We will! Merry Christmas."

Hunter watched his employees drive out of the lot. Jay would probably be the last one out and would make sure the place was locked up before taking off for the night. Heath was nowhere to be seen, and he assumed that he'd already left.

"Hunter, I don't know how to thank you for that bonus."

The tree lot owner turned around and smiled. Randy, the new kid, was leaning against the cashier's booth. "You're still here."

"Yeah. I wanted to thank you. That was really generous of you. After all, I'm only working here a short time, and then I'm going back to school."

"That's all right. So, Randy. How old are you?"

"I'm twenty."

"That's a good age. You've got your whole life ahead of you. It's up to you what you make of it."

"Yes, sir."

"You better not squander that money. Go home and give it to your mom."

"I just moved here a couple weeks ago. My family's out of town. I'm here on scholarship. I'm studying sports medicine at Blakely College."

"Is that so? Have you no other relatives here?"

"No, Hunter. "

"You're all alone on Christmas Eve?"

Randy shrugged. "That's right."

Hunter nodded, and then he was struck with a great idea. "Randy, do you like chicken noodle soup?"

"I certainly do."

"And what would you think of roast goose stuffed with baked apples?" Hunter put a fatherly arm across Randy's shoulder. "And fresh mashed potatoes and butter and some red cabbage on the side?"

"I'd love it!"

"And then cucumber salad with sour cream? Then a double order of apple strudel with vanilla ice cream for dessert."

Randy was smiling in excitement. "Sounds wonderful!"

"You're going to have it, Randy. I'm taking you to Lander's for dinner. They've got an all you can eat Christmas buffet." Afterwards, you and my neighbors from next door can watch sappy Christmas movies on my new entertainment center. One of my neighbors, the Barretts, has a son about your age. I think you might like him, he's a pretty nice kid. Go get your truck, and you can follow me there..."

~~~TLATS~~~

"It's really sharp looking," Jay smiled as he set the wallet Heath purchased back in its gift bag. He and Heath were still in the office, and Heath was showing Jay the Christmas gift. "I'm sure your boyfriend'll like it."

"I think so, too."

"Merry Christmas, Heath. I hope it all turns out the way you want it to."

"Thanks, Jay."

"I guess you decided to follow my advice after all."

"I did."

"Heath, I wanna show you something, if that's okay."

"Sure," Heath nodded as Jay took a small velvet box out of the top drawer of Hunter's desk and opened it. A solitaire ring sat in the box; a simple diamond hammer set in a wide band of white gold. "Wow! That's beautiful."

"Why don't you try it on? I'd like to see what it looks like on someone."

"Okay." Heath slipped the ring on his ring finger, admiring the sparkle and fire of the solitaire. "Is that a real diamond?"

Jay gazed over Heath's shoulder. "Half a carat."

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend," Heath sighed, taking the ring off and putting it back into the box.

"Yeah." Jay took the ring box from Heath and stuffed it in his coat pocket. "It probably isn't easy for you to imagine anyone could like a guy like me."

"Aww, come on. Don't start. It's Christmas, and I'd like to be friends. Beside, you're wrong. Do you mind if I tell you something?"

"No, not at all. Let me turn the lights off and lock up. You can talk to me while I do that."

"When I first came to work here, something very strange happened to me. I wound up developing some...personal problems."

"Really."

"Yes. I found myself looking at you again and again. I couldn't take my eyes off of you. I told myself, _Heath, what the hell are you doing? This Jay guy's not particularly attractive. _I hope you don't take any offense to that."

"None taken. Come on. Walk out with me."

"Now, here comes the bizarre twist. I found myself falling for you."

You could have knocked Jay over with a feather. "No way!"

"Damn straight. And falling for you hard."

Jay shook his head. He and Heath walked through the now bare lot, save for a few scraggly trees that would be recycled. "You certainly didn't show it."

"Especially those first few days. I know you won't misconstrue what I'm going to say to you. After all, I'm happily engaged. At least it looks that way, right?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

"In those first few weeks, there were moments in the lot... when you could have swept me off of my feet."

Jay stared at Heath like he'd just sprouted horns and a tail. "Now _I'm_ getting personal problems."

"I was different, then. I was rather naive. All my knowledge came from books, and I'd just finished a novel about a glamorous French actress from the Comédie Française. That's a theater in France. When she wanted to arouse a man's interest, she treated him like a dog."

"Yes, you treated me like a dog."

"But instead of licking my hand, you barked. My mistake was I didn't realize that the difference between her and me was that she was with the Comédie Française...and I was with Triple H Trees."

"Well, that's all water under the bridge now."

"Now you're going to see your boyfriend, Jay. By the way, is it serious?"

By this time, Jay and Heath were at the now deserted cashier's booth. Jay leaned against the side of the structure. "Yes, very."

"Maybe we'll both be engaged Monday morning."

"I think we will. "

"Don't get me wrong. I just said in my case, it might happen."

"As a matter of fact, I can tell you, it _will _happen."

"How do you know?" snorted Heath.

"We won't go into that."

"Jay, what do you mean _you know?"_

A sigh escaped Jay's lips. "Well, I guess I might as well tell you. He came by to see me."

"Who?"

"Your fiancée."

"No!"

"Yes, he came last night," Jay explained, as Heath's jaw dropped in shock. "You shouldn't have told him who I am. I spent an uncomfortable hour. Apparently, he didn't believe it when you wrote that I meant nothing to you."

"I can't get it into my head." Heath backed up a few steps, bewildered. "He...he came to see you? That doesn't sound like him at all."

"I've straightened everything out. You don't have to worry. In a little while you'll be Mr. Slater-Dinsmore."

"Mr..._Slater-Dinsmore?"_

"That's the name, isn't it? That's the name he gave me."

"Oh, yes, that's right. Dinsmore. Dinsmore."

"A very nice man. Congratulations."

"Thank you. I think he's a very attractive man, don't you?

"Yes. For his type, I'd say yes."

"You would classify him as a definite type?"

"Absolutely! And don't try to change him. Don't put him on a diet."

"Would you call him fat?"

"I wouldn't, but that's a matter of opinion. I think that little stomach of his gives him a nice, homey quality. That's what you want in a husband, isn't it?

"Yes, that's what I want. And you're perfectly right."

"If I had to choose between a young, good-for-nothing...with plenty of hair, and a solid, mature citizen, I'd pick Eugene Dinsmore every time."

"Anyway, he has a fine mind," Heath sighed, looking slightly deflated, but trying gamely to look upbeat. "Didn't he impress you as being charming and witty?"

Jay ushered Heath out of the lot and locked up the gates. "He struck me as rather depressed, but it's unfair to judge a man...when he's unemployed."

"_He's unemployed?" _Heath squeaked. "He never told me!"

"That shows you how sensitive he is. You have nothing to worry about. He feels that both of you can live very nicely on your salary."

"Did you tell him how much I make?"

"Well," pointed out Jay. "He's your fiancée, and he asked me. When I told him what salary you made, he was a little worried... but then I promised him you'd get a raise, and he felt better about it. Let me tell you, mentioning that bonus didn't do you any harm at all."

Heath went pale, and he looked ready to cry. "This is terrible! I had no idea he was so materialistic. If you could only read his emails. Such ideals, such a lofty point of view. I could quote you passages."

"For instance?"

Heath gathered his composure and said softly, "I'm looking for love. real love. Ridiculous..."

"...inconvenient, consuming, can't live without eachother love." Jay finished. "That's from _Sex And The City._ Carrie Bradshaw. He stole that."

"All along, I thought I'd inspired him to write those things. And he was just copying words from a TV show. He probably didn't mean any of them. I thought he was The One." Heath had to choke back the lump in his throat.

"I'm sorry you feel this way about it. I'd hate to think I'm spoiling your Christmas."

"I'd built up such an illusion about him."

"And I had to come along and destroy it. I'm really sorry, Heath."

"That's all right. I guess I really ought to thank you." Silence dropped between Heath and Jay, so thick you could slice it.

Jay's heart was racing. It was now or never, and he hoped that Heath would eventually understand why he'd said what he said. He screwed his courage up to the sticking place once more and approached the heartbroken young man. When he spoke again, it was gentle and warm:

"Heath, if I'd only known in the beginning how you felt about me, things would have been much different. We wouldn't have been fighting all the time. If we fought, it wouldn't have been over wreath kits and t-shirts...but over something like which set of parents we would spend the holidays with."

Heath chuckled wryly. "It's sweet of you to try to cheer me up. I think we'd better say good night. You have an engagement and so have l, and we shouldn't be late."

Jay drew closer. "Do you know what I wish would happen, Heath? When your bell rings at 8:30 and you open the door...instead of Eugene, I come in."

"Please, don't make it more difficult for me."

"I'd say, _Heath..."_

"No, don't do this-" Heath turned his back to Jay, heart aching.

"_Heath, I can't stand it any longer. Take your mouse, click on the email icon, open me up..." _Jay paused, and then removed his red scarf from his coat pocket. Wrapping it around his neck, he continued, _"open me up...and kiss me"_

Heath turned around in exasperation. "Jay, you must be..." his voice trailed off in shock as he saw Jay standing in front of him, smiling, holding the velvet box in his hand...and wearing a red scarf around his neck. It took a moment for everything to register.

"No way..._You? InstantClassic?"_

"You're not disappointed, are you?"

"Y'know. Those personal problems just came back, Jay." Heath paused...and then a slow smile spread across his face. "But this is one personal problem that I don't mind having."

"Oh, Heath!" Jay chuckled, as he slipped the ring on Heath's finger. He wrapped his arms around the bewildered and happy young man and kissed him. It was a sweet kiss that dared nothing, but promised so much more in the future. It was worth every email sent and received, and it was worth the heartache that the two of them had put each other through.

When the two of them pulled away, their eyes were sparkling and their faces were flushed with joy. "Jay, when you came to Monty's that night, I was pretty rude, wasn't I?"

"Oh, no. No. You weren't."

"Yes, I was. Don't you remember? I called you bowlegged and implied that you went commando, and you called me a ginger-headed showoff."

"I was going to prove to you that I didn't go commando. I was going to drop my pants in the middle of the street."

"Would you mind very much if I asked you to drop them now?"

"Hmmm...let's wait a while for that, huh?" Jay put an arm around Heath's waist as the two of them made their way across the parking lot, each of them looking forward to presenting themselves as a couple. "Right now, I think there's a Christmas Buffet at Lander's that's waiting for us..."

**THE END**

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: WOO-HOO! Finished! Done! Finito! And before Christmas! Anyway, whatever you're all celebrating, I hope it's happy and restful. **

**REVIEWS = LOVE**


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